Effect of Large Apertures on the Optical Quality of Three Multifocal Lenses.

PURPOSE: To compare the optical quality under large apertures among three multifocal intraocular lenses (IOLs): the TECNIS Symfony ZXR00 (Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, IL), the AT LISA tri 839MP (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Jena, Germany), and the Finevision (PhysIOL, Liège, Belgium).

METHODS: The in vitro optical quality of each lens was assessed with an instrument that measured the modulation transfer function (MTF). The optical quality of each lens was described in terms of MTF and through focus average MTF. The Strehl ratio, cut-off frequency, area of visibility, and percentage energy were calculated to objectively describe the optical quality of each lens. These metrics were assessed for the best lens distance focus and at four vergences (from -1.50 to -3.00 D in 0.50-D steps) at a 4.5-mm aperture.

RESULTS: The through focus average MTF of the AT LISA and Finevision IOLs showed three mean areas corresponding to distance, intermediate, and near vision. The TECNIS Symfony IOL showed two main areas corresponding to distance and intermediate vision. All metrics revealed that the Finevision IOL showed the best optical quality at distance vision, the TECNIS Symfony IOL at intermediate vision, and the AT LISA IOL at near vision. The TECNIS Symfony IOL showed the most homogeneous light distribution between its best vision foci.

CONCLUSIONS: The TECNIS Symfony IOL is less vergence dependent than the AT LISA and Finevision IOLs under dim conditions. These results may help clinicians to choose the proper lens depending on the patient's visual requirements.