Distance vision after bilateral implantation of AcrySof toric intraocular lenses: a randomized, controlled,...

To evaluate the distance vision of Chinese patients with cataracts and corneal astigmatism after implantation of bilateral AcrySof toric intraocular lens (IOL) versus bilateral AcrySof spherical IOL.

This study randomized 60 patients into equal groups to receive toric IOL or spherical IOL. IOL powers targeting emmetropia were selected for 93% of toric IOL patients and for 90% of spherical IOL patients. Assessments included monocular and binocular distance vision, with and without best correction. Patients also completed surveys about their distance vision.

Preoperatively, the two study groups were similar in age, in distance visual acuity, and in the magnitude of corneal astigmatism. At 6 months postoperative, binocular uncorrected distance vision was 0.06±0.14 logMAR in the AcrySof toric IOL group, significantly better than the 0.14±0.11 logMAR in the spherical IOL group (P<0.05). For eyes with emmetropia as a target, the equivalent of 20/20 uncorrected vision was more likely (P<0.001) in the toric IOL group (36% of eyes) than in the spherical IOL group (4% of eyes). No patients in the emmetropia/toric IOL group used distance glasses, as compared to 52% of patients in the emmetropia/spherical IOL group. All patients were satisfied or highly satisfied. Quality of distance vision was rated higher by toric IOL patients than by spherical IOL patients (P<0.05).

Bilateral AcrySof toric IOL is superior to bilateral spherical IOL in providing uncorrected distance vision to cataract patients with corneal astigmatism.