Patients spectacle-free with trifocal IOL in study

Chicago-A trifocal diffractive lens (FineVision, PhysIOL) provided spectacle independence for all patients in a short-term study conducted in the United Kingdom, according to Sheraz Daya, FACP, FACS, FRCS(Ed), FRCOphth.

Dr. Daya, medical director at the Centre for Sight, West Sussex, England, presented the results of this retrospective trial that included 211 eyes.

The IOL is a hydrophilic acrylate with 25% water content. Using a video to demonstrate implantation, Dr. Daya noted that the haptics are delicate and are best loaded under a microscope. The IOL can be inserted into the eye through a 1.8-mm incision, which is perfect for microincisional cataract surgery, he noted.

One-month follow-up was available for 77% of patients (mean age, 64 years). Of the study eyes, 62 had limbal relaxing incisions for astigmatism that exceeded 0.75 D or more.

The monocular uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA) 3 months after surgery was 20/25 in 92% of patients and the binocular UDVA was 20/20 at the same time point in 90% of patients. The intermediate binocular visual acuity at 80 cm was 20/30 at the 3-month time point in about 97% of patients.

Six weeks postoperatively, 8% of patients spontaneously complained of problems with nighttime driving related to glare (grade 2 out of 5). This decreased to 1 out of 5 at the 3-month examination.

“It was very gratifying that every patient was spectacle-free,” Dr. Daya said. “Some glare develops, but it does not substantially affect night-driving. The lens is apodized and patients must be informed that they might struggle with vision, for example, in a restaurant.

“However, this improves over time,” he added. “The purpose of this IOL is to provide good intermediate vision, which it does.”

The IOL is not approved for use in the United States.

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