Aspheric Intraocular Lenses

With continued improvements in surgical techniques, biometry, and intraocular lens (IOL) technology, cataract surgeons have for some time been capable of consistently achieving highly accurate quantitative refractive results following cataract/lens replacement surgery. We know we can improve an individual’s vision from 20/400 to 20/20, for example. The modern cataract surgeon, however, is now embarking on the quest for “perfect vision” beyond a simple 20/20 standard. This does not necessarily mean getting the patient to 20/10. Rather, it means that we have started paying attention to other aspects of vision beyond Snellen acuity, such as contrast sensitivity and wavefront error, in order to achieve the highest possible quality of vision. Cataract surgeons are becoming refractive surgeons, and IOL manufacturers are beginning to incorporate advanced refractive technology toward the same objective. Aspheric IOLs are the first new technology IOLs to reflect the refractive shift in cataract surgery.