Staged IOL implantation = happy patients

By employing staged implantation of intraocular lenses (IOLs), surgeons can produce the best possible visual outcomes for each individual patient, according to Richard Lindstrom from Minnesota, USA.

Dr Lindstrom conducted a case series in which 23 patients received a dual diffractive IOL combination (ReStor/ReStor; Alcon) and 29 patients were implanted with a diffractive/refractive IOL combination (ReStor/ReZoom; AMO), using the process of staged implantation.

It was discovered that patient satisfaction with distance vision improved from 74% with the dual diffractive IOLs to 96% with the diffractive/refractive combination. Satisfaction with near vision improved from 83% to 96% and willingness to recommend the procedure to others improved from 64% to 96%. Furthermore, subjects with the diffractive/refractive combination reported spectacle independence 94% of the time, compared with just 65% of the time for the subjects with the dual diffractive IOLs.

Dr Lindstrom believes that the staged process can provide the best possible visual outcomes and that combining two different types of refractive IOLs leads to high levels of spectacle independence and patient satisfaction.