Economic evaluation of toric intraocular lens: a short- and long-term decision analytic model

To assess the economic value of improved uncorrected visual acuity among patients with cataract and preexisting astigmatism treated with toric intraocular lenses (IOLs) compared with conventional monofocal IOLs.

We developed a decision analytic model of hypothetical patients with preexisting astigmatism. We examined costs and outcomes among patients 65 years and older with cataract and preexisting astigmatism (1.5-3.0 diopters) who were receiving either toric or conventional IOLs with and without intraoperative refractive correction (IRC). Data were obtained from the literature and from a survey of 60 US ophthalmologists. Total medical costs of bilateral treatment were calculated for the first posttreatment year and remaining lifetime. Cost-effectiveness and cost-utility outcomes were computed. Future costs and utilities were discounted by 3%.

A larger proportion of patients receiving toric IOLs achieved distance vision spectacle independence (67%) and uncorrected visual acuity of 20/25 or better OU (53%) compared with conventional IOLs with (63% and 48%, respectively) or without IRC (53% and 44%, respectively), resulting in fewer future vision corrections. Toric IOLs provided an additional 10.20 quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) compared with conventional IOLs with (10.14 QALYs) and without IRC (10.10 QALYs). Higher first-year costs of the toric IOL ($5739) compared with the conventional IOL with ($5635) or without ($4687) IRC were offset by lifetime cost savings of $34 per patient, $393 per patient achieving uncorrected visual acuity of 20/25 or better, and $349 per QALY compared with the conventional IOL without IRC.

Toric IOLs reduce lifetime economic costs by reducing the need for glasses or contact lenses following cataract removal. These results can inform physicians and patients regarding the value of toric IOLs in the treatment of cataract and preexisting astigmatism.