Post-op bilateral reading performance is significantly improved when using a multifocal intraocular lens (MIOL) with a diffractive component rather than a refractive multifocal or monofocal lens, according to a recent study published in the 

The study group, led by Dr Jorge Alió, Vissum-Instituto Oftalmológico de Alicante, Alicante, Spain, compared the bilateral reading performance within a 6-month follow up period after implantation with four different IOLs.

A total of 304 eyes of 152 patients underwent bilateral phacoemulsification and then implantation with one of four IOLs. The lenses used in the study were the Acri-Smart 48S monofocal, AcrySof Restor SN6AD3 apodized mutlifocal, Acri.LISA 366D diffractive multifocal and the ReZoom refractive mutlifocal. For comparison each patient’s bilateral reading performance was measured both with and without near correction and pre- and postoperatively with the Salzburg Reading Desk.

It was found that all groups demonstrated an improvement in uncorrected and corrected distance visual acuity after implantation of the IOLs. However, a significant improvement in uncorrected reading acuity was demonstrated in the groups that had been implanted with the apodized multifocal and diffractive multifocal lenses at 1 month and 6 months post-op. Additionally, the uncorrected reading speed of the study group was found to be much worse in patients implanted with the refractive multifocal lens in comparison with the monofocal lens implant at 1 month follow-up.

From the results it was concluded that MIOLs with a diffractive component offered the best option for post-op reading performance when compared with refractive multifocal and monofocal IOLs.

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Post-op bilateral reading performance is significantly improved when using a multifocal intraocular lens (MIOL) with a diffractive component rather than a refractive multifocal or monofocal lens, according to a recent study.