ESCRS 2026: enhanced monofocal IOL delivers distance and functional intermediate vision, study finds

A prospective, non-interventional, multicentre study presented at the 44th Congress of the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS), held 11–15 September 2026 at ExCeL London, evaluated an enhanced monofocal intraocular lens (IOL), the enVista Aspire (Bausch + Lomb), built on the enVista platform. Jai Parekh, MD, MA, FAAO, an anterior segment surgeon in northern New Jersey who also teaches at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai in New York City, discussed the findings in an interview at the meeting.

Study design

The lens is categorised as a monofocal-plus IOL and incorporates a proprietary defocus of 1.25 dioptres set at the posterior part of the optic. The study enrolled close to 124 eyes, all of which underwent bilateral implantation, with outcomes assessed at two months postoperatively.

Results

At two months, patients achieved excellent distance vision, at or very close to 20/20, with high reported satisfaction — described by Parekh as “20/Happy”. More than 90% of patients also achieved functional intermediate vision better than 20/30, meaning most no longer needed glasses for distance or intermediate tasks. On the lens's posterior optic zone, 92% of patients reported no complaints, an effect Parekh characterised as “very minimal”.

Clinical takeaway

Parekh noted that most cataract surgery worldwide still relies on monofocal lenses, in large part because premium multifocal options remain unaffordable for many patients. An enhanced monofocal-plus lens that extends functional range into intermediate vision, he said, addresses a persistent gap for this larger patient population. He added that the prospective results were consistent with what he had already observed in his own real-world practice.