Energy balance in apodized diffractive multifocal intraocular lenses

The energy distribution between the distance and near images formed in a model eye by three different apodized diffractive multifocal intraocular lenses (IOLs) is experimentally determined in an optical bench. The model eye has an artificial cornea with positive spherical aberration (SA) similar to human cornea. The level of SA upon the IOL, which is pupil size dependent, is controlled using a Hartmann-Shack wave sensor. The energy of the distance and near images as a function of the pupil size is experimentally obtained from image analysis. All three IOLs have the same base refractive power (20D) but different designs (aspheric, spherical) and add powers (+4.0 D, +3.0 D). The results show that in all the cases, the energy efficiency of the distance image decreases for large pupils, in contrast with the theoretical and simulated results that only consider the diffractive profile of the lens. As for the near image, since the diffractive zone responsible for the formation of this image has the same apodization factor in the spherical and aspheric lenses and the apertures involved are small (and so the level of SA), the results turn out to be similar for all the three IOL designs.