Specialty / IOL Lenses

Types of Intraocular Lenses

Monofocal IOL

The traditional lens, otherwise known as a monofocal IOL, can focus only at one point.  The focal point is usually set at a distance and most patients will still need reading glasses to see objects at near.  In addition, a monofocal IOL does not address astigmatism so glasses or contacts may still be needed to fine-tune the distance based on the amount of astigmatism.  With the monofocal IOL option, you’ll find that you will still rely on a pair of glasses.

Toric IOL

Approximately 90% of the population has astigmatism, which means the cornea is shaped more like a football than a round soccer ball.  Visually significant astigmatism results in shadowing or ghosting of images. Just like toric contact lenses, we now have toric IOLs that can treat high amounts of astigmatism.  This will result in sharper images at distance and/or near based on the lens.  

Symfony IOL

The Symfony IOL is an extended-depth of focus lens that was approved by the FDA in August of 2017.  It has a unique design that corrects for spherical and chromatic aberrations of the cornea, similar to the design of telescopic lenses used in space!  The result is sharper vision at distance with a continuous range of vision incorporating intermediate and sometimes near vision. These lenses are perfect for the active lifestyle that do not mind glasses for reading.

Multifocal IOL

Whether reading a book, sheet music while playing the piano, or tracking your golf-ball after a long drive, multifocal IOLs have given patients independence from glasses since 2006.  These lenses have multiple focal points and can split light to allow for distance vision as well as near vision.  The technology has improved significantly, and we now have customizable near-vision powers depending on one’s visual needs.  Be sure to let your surgeon know which activities are important to you during your consultation.