[Does the type of lens influence stereoscopic vision]

Age and monofocal intraocular lens (IOL) are assumed to reduce the quality of stereopsis, whereas multifocal intraocular lenses (MIOL) are supposed to provide better random dot stereopsis than monofocal IOL. The following study investigates whether and how the different IOL types (including the different existing principles of MIOL) influence stereopsis.

We included 153 persons from six groups (young and elder phakic subjects, patients with bilateral monofocal IOL, with bilateral diffractive MIOL, with bilateral refractive MIOL, and with unilateral diffractive/refractive MIOL). Stereopsis measurements were performed using the Pola test with a two-dimensional and a random dot test for far and near distances and the results for near distance were compared with the Lang random dot, two-dimensional Titmus, and the Monjé real three-dimensional tests. Near and distance monocular and binocular visual acuity and orthoptic examinations had been previously carried out.

Of the young phakic subjects, 81-92% correctly perceived the Pola test figures, and 100% did so in the Lang, Titmus, and Monjé tests. Of the elder phakic subjects, 36-73% correctly perceived the Pola test, and 52-88% did so in the Lang, Titmus, and Monjé tests. Of the patients with bilateral monofocal IOL, 19-62% perceived the Pola test figures, as did 30-61% of the patients with bilateral diffractive MIOL, 12-53% of the patients with bilateral refractive MIOL, and 5-29% of the patients with unilateral diffractive/refractive MIOL.

All patients with bilateral mono- or different multifocal IOL had good binocular vision in far and near distance including random dot stereopsis.