A PROSPECTIVE EVALUATION OF A DIFFRACTIVE VERSUS A REFRACTIVE DESIGNED MULTIFOCAL INTRAOCULAR-LENS

Objective: To evaluate prospectively a diffractive (811E, Pharmacia; p ower add +4.0 D) versus a refractive (PA154N, Allergan; power add +3.5 D) designed multifocal lens. Participants: Eighty patients planned fo r cataract surgery without additional ocular pathologies were randomiz ed into the diffractive or refractive group, respectively. Interventio n: A standardized no-stitch phacoemulsification with implantation of o ne of the two multifocal lenses was performed in each patient. Main Ou tcome Measures: Distance and near-visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, low contrast visual acuity, glare visual acuity, and depth of focus w ere measured after surgery. Results: All treated patients had best-cor rected visual acuities of 20/30 or better. Near-uncorrected vision was significantly better (P < 0.0001) with the diffractive lens (mean, J1 ) than with the refractive lens (mean, J4). Low contrast visual acuity (61 +/- 12% versus 59 +/- 9%), glare visual acuity (39 +/- 19% versus 38 +/- 14%), and contrast sensitivity (1.48 +/- 0.08 versus 1.50 +/- 0.12) were not significantly different between the groups. Conclusions : Both lens designs showed satisfactory functional results with advant ages for the diffractive lens design.