VISUAL-ACUITY AND ATTITUDE TO WEARING GLA SSES AFTER IMPLANTATION OF A DIFFRACTIVE MULTIFOCAL LENS

Background The implantation of a diffractive multifocal lens (dMIOL) a s alternative to a monofocal lens is justified if after surgery there is practically no need to wear glasses. Patients and Methods 31 patien ts had an implantation of a total of 35 dMIOLs (3M 815 LE). We evaluat ed the visual acuity, the refractive data and the patients' attitude t o wearing glasses. The average age was 67.0 +/- 11.8 years. Follow up took place after 18.7 +/- 5.4 months. Results The mean value of the un corrected distance acuity was 0.59 +/- 0.17 and the corrected distance acuity 0.96 +/- 0.13. The uncorrected near acuity amounted to Jg 2.40 +/- 0.94, best distance correction was Jg 1.49 +/- 0.55. The patients still accepted an average of 0.68 +/- 0.37 dpt for the best near corr ection (near vision over the diffractive near focus) and thus achieved Jg 1.46 +/- 0.55. At the best distance correction plus 3.5 dpt, the n ear visual acuity was improved to 1.03 +/- 0.17. 54.8% of the patients indicated that they did not use glasses at all. 32.3% stated that the y only used glasses for reading. 9.7% wore bifocals all the time, and 3.2% always used glasses for the distance. Conclusions Regarding dista nce vision, the dMIOL is equivalent to monofocal lenses. Without any c orrection the results of the dMIOLs for the near vision are superior t o monofocal lenses. Glasses can be dispensed with if the uncorrected v isual acuity of the operated eye is at least 0.6 Jg 2-3 after surgery and the other eye too, does not need any correction. In case the posto perative visual acuity is worse, good visual acuity of the other eye m ay render glasses unnecessary. Part of the patients put up with a corr ectable loss of visual acuity in order not to become dependent on glas ses. The need to wear glasses may be decreased considerably by implant ing a dMIOL in both eyes and by avoiding postoperative refraction erro rs.