Visual outcome with the Array multifocal intraocular lens in patients withconcurrent eye disease

Purpose: To evaluate whether the distance visual outcome with the Array(R) multifocal intraocular lens (IOL) is comparable to that of a monofocal IOL in eyes with concurrent disease and to assess whether these eyes benefit fr om the IOL's multifocality. Setting: Department of Ophthalmology, Arrowe Park Hospital, Wirral, United Kingdom. Methods: This prospective study comprised 133 eyes of 111 patients with cat aract and concurrent disease such as macular degeneration, glaucoma, and di abetic retinopathy. Eighty-one eyes (70 patients) received an Array multifo cal IOL after phacoemulsification. A control group of 52 eyes (41 patients) received a monofocal. IOL of similar design (AMO SI-40NB). Visual outcomes in terms of uncorrected and best corrected distance and near acuities were evaluated. Results: in both the multifocal and the monofocal IOL groups, the number of eyes achieving a best corrected visual acuity of 6/12 and N8 or better (55 and 37 eyes, respectively) was comparable (P greater than or equal to .999 ; 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.152 to 0.172). There was a borderline sta tistically significant difference in the number of eyes achieving an uncorr ected visual acuity of 6/12 or better and N8 or better in the multifocal IO L (11 eyes) and monofocal (2 eyes) groups (P = .047, 95% CI -0.007 to 0.196 ). A significantly higher number of eyes in the multifocal group (40 eyes) than in the monofocal IOL group (4 eyes) achieved a distance-corrected acui ty of 6/12 and N8 or better (P = .0001; 95% CI 0.274 to 0.539). Conclusions: The Array multifocal IOL produced distance visual outcomes com parable bie to those of the AMO SI-40NB monofocal IOL in patients with conc urrent eye disease. A significant proportion of these patients benefited fr om the IOL's multifocality. Management of associated eye disease was not co mpromised by the nature of the IOL. J Cataract Refract Surg 2000; 26:576-58 1 (C) 2000 ASCRS and ESCRS.