Presbyopia, or simpler, reading glasses, is a common problem for patients after the age of 45, and sometimes even earlier. This issue can be solved today with the implantation of mono-focal lenses with extended depth of focus (EDOF), or diffractive multifocal lenses.
Types of intraocular lenses
EDOF lenses are the latest technological achievement when it comes to correcting distance and nearsightedness. With this technology, after implantation, patients do not have to wear glasses for distance, and only use reading glasses in about 20% of cases, when looking at very small objects or very small text. However, the advantage of these lenses is that they do not cause unwanted side effects, such as light scattering or color contrast reduction. In this group of lenses, we most often implant Johnson&Johnson Eyhance EDOF intraocular lens, and the latest Alcon Vivity EDOF intraocular lens.
On the other hand, diffractive multifocal intraocular lenses have been known for over 15 years. Although today’s are technologically much more advanced than previous generations, they still have similar or the same side effects. They are reflected in light scattering at night and a slight reduction in color contrast. However, with these implants, patients are independent of reading glasses in over 95% of cases. In this group of lenses, Johnson&Johnson Synergy lenses are most often implanted.
Who are the ideal candidates for this procedure?
All patients older than 45 years who want to get rid of reading glasses are good candidates for this surgery. There is actually no upper age limit, but it is important that the macula lutea is healthy and preserved.
Preoperative examination
Before the operation, a detailed examination of the anterior and posterior segments of the eye is performed, and a calculation of the intraocular lens diopter is made. The patient is presented with the results and based on a detailed conversation, it is estimated which option would be the best.
What does the surgical procedure look like?
The surgical procedure lasts only 10 minutes and is performed in topical anesthesia (anesthesia with eye drops). During the operation, the natural eye lens is removed, and an EDOF/multifocal lens is implanted in its place. The incision heals itself, and there is no need to suture the wound.
Additional advice
With a prior consultation and conversation with the doctor, it is possible to perform a surgical procedure on both eyes on the same day. This way, the merging of the images of the two eyes in the vision center in the brain is accelerated, and the time for adaptation is shortened, avoiding unwanted effects, especially the difference in visual acuity between one eye and the other.
What does the postoperative period look like?
The recovery lasts several days, usually 5 to 6. During this time, the patient is advised to avoid smoke, wind, and dust, as well as lifting heavy loads. Perhaps most importantly, these lenses are permanent, they do not need to be changed, nor can they become cloudy like our natural eye lenses, that is, cataract (gray cataract) cannot develop on them.
