The advancement of intraocular lenses for cataract and transparent crystalline surgery is constantly changing.They are fundamentally acrylic material prostheses that we introduce inside the eye, and are used for cataract surgeries such as transparent crystalline ones.For cataract surgery, it is intended that the patient gain visual acuity and also eliminate, as far as possible, the diopters that the patient has, reducing or eliminating the use of glasses later.For refractive lensectomy or transparent lens surgery, the goal of this technique is to eliminate the use of glasses.
In both surgeries, these lenses replace the crystalline lens, in the case of cataracts it is a natural intraocular lens that has become opacified and in the case of refractive surgery it is because it remains transparent.
In the specific case in which multifocal intraocular lenses cannot be placed to eliminate the use of glasses for long, medium and short distance, due to uncontrolled glaucoma; age-related macular degeneration; dry eyes; ocular parameters outside the ranges considered normal etc, the options that are valued are the EDOF or extended range of vision lenses.Until now, they had the advantage of very good long-distance visual acuity with excellent contrast sensitivity; very good intermediate vision without glasses, and better near vision than classic monofocal vision lenses.In fact, although it is necessary to wear glasses to see small letters up close, it is not usually with a correction greater than +1.50, therefore many daily activities can be done without using glasses, such as using the computer, cooking, etc.However, there is an Achilles heel for this group of lenses, and this was the vision of halos around light sources at night, when the pupil dilates, making night driving difficult in many patients.
The new generation of EDOF lenses is currently on the market and they have changed their optical system. These new lenses eliminate the diffractive rings that cause these halos from their surface, replacing them with an AXICON or microcone-shaped surface in the center of the optical portion.This new lens makes it possible to preserve the advantages that the older lenses already had (good visual quality, good intermediate vision and near functional vision), and the annoying halos or night glare that are so disabling have also been eliminated. Therefore, it could be said that we are congratulated with the advances. These new lenses are: VIVITY from Alcon Health Care, ASQELIO from AST vision care, and ELON from Medicontour.
The medical specialty of ophthalmology and its research are aimed at achieving the perfect lens to replace the crystalline lens, so that elderly patients can progressively have a more active and full life.
We are working on it !!!
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