Characterizing glare effects associated with diffractive optics in presbyopia-correcting intraocular lenses

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Optical Engineering

Background:

• Intraocular lenses (IOLs) are used to restore vision after cataract surgery.
• Trifocal IOLs aim to extend the visual range by incorporating diffractive principles.
• Quantifying glare and straylight is crucial for understanding visual quality and patient satisfaction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To objectively quantify glare induced by different intraocular lens (IOL) models.
• To identify specific IOL models with a higher susceptibility to inducing glare.
• To assess the impact of diffractive principles and chromatic aberration correction on straylight.

Main Methods:

• Glare was assessed using a straylight parameter with a C-Quant device at standard (7 degrees) and modified (2.5 and 3.5 degrees) angles.
• Four trifocal IOL models (PanOptix, AT Lisa Tri, Synergy, Triumf) and one monofocal IOL (W-60R) were tested.
• The C-Quant test was performed using additional optical components attached to the IOLs.

Main Results:

• Trifocal IOLs showed comparable straylight to monofocal IOLs at 7 degrees.
• At lower angles (3.5 degrees), straylight increased significantly in Triumf and Synergy models.
• IOLs with chromatic aberration correction exhibited higher straylight at 2.5 degrees compared to established trifocal and monofocal IOLs.

Conclusions:

• Trifocal IOLs can induce increased straylight, particularly at lower angles, which may be challenging to detect clinically.
• Newer IOL designs incorporating chromatic aberration correction appear more prone to glare phenomena than established trifocal IOLs.
• Objective straylight measurements are essential for evaluating visual performance and potential glare issues with advanced IOLs.