Goodbye to Presbyopia: The Trifocal Intraocular Lens

Presbyopia, or eyestrain, generally appears after the age of 45 as a difficulty with near vision. The cause is the loss of accommodation (focusing) capacity of the crystalline lens, the natural intraocular lens. As we age, the lens loses its elasticity , and with it, its focusing ability. As it becomes more rigid, it cannot change its sphericity to adapt to the focusing distance we need at any given time.

Trifocal intraocular lens to eliminate presbyopia and eye strain

There are two types of accommodation that are affected by presbyopia: near vision (reading) and intermediate vision (computer vision). After many years of research with intraocular lenses and other techniques such as LASIK, trifocal intraocular lenses have finally emerged, more than meeting the needs of even the most demanding patients. This type of lens is implanted after standard cataract surgery , but its characteristics make it far superior to the monofocal lenses traditionally used in cataract surgery.

Trifocal lenses have different focusing points: distance vision, near vision, and intermediate vision. These lenses correct the patient’s distance vision prescription (whether nearsightedness or farsightedness ), and only in cases of significant astigmatism may laser correction be necessary after cataract surgery. Furthermore, their ability to focus at near and intermediate distances makes them virtually independent of glasses. Patients with a developed cataract at the time of surgery will also notice a significant improvement in the quality of vision, primarily in color perception and clarity.

However , it is not necessary to have a fully formed cataract to undergo this procedure ; the surgery is essentially the same, except that in younger patients, the lens has not yet developed a cataract, and in this case, it is called clear lens surgery . Once this surgery is performed, the patient will not develop cataracts or require another such procedure in the future, since the implanted intraocular lens is permanent.

What limitations do these lenses have?

The trifocal lens is a highly advanced model, the result of a great deal of research, but despite this, it is not as perfect as the crystalline lens of young people without presbyopia . Some patients may require the assistance of reading glasses to read small print or for fine work such as sewing. Some patients also report seeing halos with lights at night, but this is usually minor. Despite this, the vast majority of patients are very satisfied with the results of the surgery and only regret not having had it done sooner.