Aspheric intraocular lenses (IOLs) used in cataract surgery provide higher quality vision than spherical IOLs, according to a new study.
Researchers at Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University (Frankfurt, Germany) and Cullen Eye Institute, Baylor College of Medicine (Houston) performed bilateral cataract surgery on 26 patients. The patients received an aspheric IOL in one eye and a spherical IOL in the other. All lenses were produced by the same manufacturer (Alcon).
Aspheric IOLs feature a gradually changing curve from the center of the lens outward and are designed to control spherical aberration produced by spherical IOLs. Spherical aberration is one of many higher-order aberrations of the eye, and is believed to cause glare and halos around lights at night.
Six months after surgery, aberrometry and visual acuity measurements showed the eyes receiving the aspheric IOLs had significantly lower spherical aberration, better visual acuity (measured with an eye chart in medium/low lighting) and better contrast sensitivity than the eyes with spherical lens implants.
The researchers concluded that aspheric IOLs produce better retinal image quality and higher quality vision than spherical IOLs.
Note: Aspheric IOLs typically are considered premium lens implants, and choosing this type of intraocular lens may increase the your cataract surgery cost.
Source: Effect of intraocular lens asphericity on quality of vision after cataract removal: An intraindividual comparison. Ophthalmology. Published online July 29, 2009.
Tags: aspheric, cataract surgery cost, cataract surgery results, intraocular lenses