Intraocular Lens (IOL)

What Is An IOL?

An Intraocular Lens (IOL) is the replacement lens that is surgically implanted in the eye to replace the existing natural clouded lens during cataract surgery.

 
 

Types Of IOL

The design of IOL decides your need for spectacles after the surgery. Newer advanced IOL (Toric, Multifical and Accomodative) can treat cataract and get rid of spectacle power too.

 
 
  • Monofocal IOL: A standard mono-focal IOL has one point of focus, which is usually distance vision. If you choose standard IOLs, you will generally need glasses for near activities like reading. On the other hand, if your mono-focal IOLs are focused on near vision, you would need glasses to see distant objects clearly.
  • Toric IOL: Astigmatism means that your eye is shaped more like and egg than a round ball. This irregular shape causes blurry vision.20% cataract cases have astigmatism, which requires them to wear cylindrical powered glasses after the cataract surgery with monofocal lenses. The toric lens is a special form of a single vision cataract lens that has astigmatism correction built right into the lens implant. If you like the idea of a single vision intraocular lens and have astigmatism, then a toric lens would be a great choice for you. A toric lens that corrects your astigmatism inside the eye does a better job of correcting your vision than a pair of glasses that sit out away from your face.
  • Multifocal IOL: As against monofocal IOL, which focuses at only single distance; A multi-focal IOL contains multiple zones that focus light at a variety of distances, allowing you to see a continuous range of vision without glasses. This results in excellent visual acuity of close up and far away objects. Many patients report the ability to read small print and see distances, both without glasses. This lens can however, produce rings or halos around bright lights and may make it difficult to see in low light situations, such as driving at night. While most patients adapt to this effect over a period of several months.
  • Accomadating IOL: An accommodating IOL is designed to flex much like your eye’s healthy, natural lens, providing a continuous range of vision as you constantly change focus on the world around you. This lens has the ability to “accommodate,” or change shape, allowing it to focus on both far and near objects. Most patients can function well without glasses for distance and casual reading, but may need glasses for fine print and very close work.
  • Aspheric IOL: Traditional IOLs are spherical, meaning the front surface is uniformly curved. Aspheric IOLs are slightly flatter in the periphery. These lenses are designed to reduce spherical aberrations and provide better contrast sensitivity

Dr. Shital S. Lalwani is an experienced ophthalmologist and general physician in Pune with over 21 years of experience. He practices at Jeevan Sparsh Eye Hospital Market Yard, Kondhawa, NIBM . Dr. Lalwani completed his MBBS in 2002 and DNB in Ophthalmology in 2006.