New multifocal could help AMD patients

A new multifocal IOL could help patients with macular disease maintain daily functioning with less dependence on low vision aids, reported Gerd Auffarth MD University of Heidelberg Eye Clinic, at the annual meeting of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery in San Diego.

Dr Auffarth reported his very early experience with the LENTIS Mplus High Add IOL in  eight AMD patients being treated for cataract. It is an aspheric multifocal IOL with a biconvex optic that includes a sector-shaped near addition. Its overall length is 11.0 mm, with a 6.0 mm  optic. With an 8.00 D near addition, this IOL has the potential to be very useful in patients with AMD because it translates to 6.00 D of near correction on the spectacle plane and has 1.5 times magnifying power, he explained.

The early experience was very positive, with all patients showing significant improvements in functional activities such as cooking, handwriting, and reading. Patients were able to reduce or eliminate their reliance on low vision loupes. In addition, perhaps because of the nature of the disease, patients reported no problems with glare or haloes. A multicentre trial is now underway in Europe with the IOL.