Today’s cataract patient wants to have it all. Before Alcon’s PanOptix and PanOptix Toric trifocal lens, multifocal lens and monodical lenses could only correct near, intermediate, or distance vision. The patient had to decide which vision range they wanted to correct. Does the patient favor the distance vision needed for driving, watching TV, or any activity requiring long-range clarity? Or is the near vision engaged in reading, sewing, or the use of small tools more critical to the patient?
Either way, readers or progressive eyeglasses are usually needed to correct the unaddressed vision range. Furthermore, if a patient had a significant astigmatism, glasses would always be needed for all tasks unless a Toric lens was implanted or an astigmatic refractive procedure was performed. There is one more option called monovision. This option uses a lens for distance in one eye and either near or intermediate in the other eye. The brain adjusts to using one eye for each target; however, there is no guarantee that the patient will adapt to this option. All of these options utilize the ubiquitous monovision or single-vision lens. Until Alcon’s PanOptive trifocal innovation, the only other option was the multifocal or bifocal lens. Although this lens eliminates the mix and match dilemma, it still only provides two-range vision.
The rise in digital device use during the last two decades has increased the cataract patient’s demand for intermediate vision. Today’s cataract patients enjoy lifestyle sports such as golfing, swimming, bowling, and skiing. These activities and many more require intermediate vision.
By satisfying the demand for a full range of vision, patients no longer have to choose a suboptimal solution from a complicated set of options. It gets better, though, the PanOptix trifocal lens offers more than a full range of vision. In various light conditions and with varying pupil sizes, the lens performs beautifully. Most patients enjoy 20/20 near, intermediate, and distance vision. Patients with astigmatism can also eliminate their astigmatism and have all three distances with the Alcon PanOptix Toric Lens.
To learn more about this breakthrough technology, please call our office and schedule an appointment.