Intraocular Lenses at Hattiesburg Eye Clinic

The artificial lens used to replace the eye’s clouded natural lens is the heart and soul of a successful cataract treatment. Known as an intraocular lens (IOL), these implanted lenses restore vision lost to cataracts, and in some circumstances allow the patient to see clearly without the need for glasses.

IOLs have come a long way since first conceived in the mid-20^th Century. Over the last couple of decades advances in IOL technology have accelerated to the point that not only can they restore lost vision, but could also make it better than ever.

Today, most IOLs come in one of two major categories.

• Monofocal IOLs were among the first artificial lenses developed, and can be found in its most basic form, the standard IOL. These lenses have a single point of focus that can be tuned to a specific range of distance, usually far. Individuals will notice more clarity at a distance, but may still require corrective lenses (especially for up close viewing). Some monofocal lenses may also contain added elements that improve overall visual acuity.
• Multifocal IOLs, as the name implies, have more than one point of focus to accommodate a greater range of distances. Multifocal lenses may also contain elements like EDOF (extended depth of focus), which widens the distance field and reduces the occurrence of gaps when moving the focus from one distance to another.

With the exception of the standard lens, both monofocal and multifocal lenses can also include a component known as Toric that corrects for astigmatism. This condition involves an abnormal shape of the curve of the eye, which requires additional accommodation to achieve corrected vision. A Toric lens helps ensure that a patient with astigmatism has the same opportunity for clear vision after cataract surgery as those without the condition.