Implant Options
“Depth of field” Intraocular Lens
These implants can have many different names including “extended depth of field”, “trifocal”, “multifocal”, etc. Rather than providing optical focus at only one fixed distance, these lenses stretch your range of clear vision while attempting to minimize aberrations in your vision. They are designed to provide patients with more independence from glasses not only in the distance, but also for closer tasks such as the use of a computer or reading. The lens implants typically use concentric rings or advanced curvature designs to keep multiple points in focus at once. Additionally, they can fix astigmatism, if required. If a patient elects to have a “depth of fiend” implant at the time of cataract surgery, the cataract surgery is still typically covered by insurance, but the additional costs associated with the “depth of field” implant are a patient-responsibility.
Toric Intraocular Lens
These lens implants are similar to standard monofocal implants. However, they are have built-in correction for astigmatism. Astigmatism is when the eye is shaped more like a football than a basketball, causing blurry or distorted vision at all distances. A toric lens corrects that distortion so your vision is sharper without glasses. However, clear vision is only able to be attained at one specific distance (usually far away). Therefore, most patients require reading glasses for intermediate/near tasks with toric monofocal implants. If a patient elects to have a toric monofocal implant at the time of cataract surgery, the cataract surgery is still typically covered by insurance, but the additional costs associated with the toric lens implant are a patient-responsibility.
Standard Monofocal Intraocular Lens
Standard monofocal lens implants are the implants covered by insurance. These lenses are akin to a fixed-focus camera lens in that they are powered to focus clearly at one distance only, usually far away. These lenses do not fix astigmatism, but they can be paired with other intraoperative procedures which do fix astigmatism. These lenses are the most basic, covered by insurance, and have an excellent track record for clarity and reliability. However, unless they are paired with astigmatism correction, they usually result in the need for prescription glasses for the clearest vision at distance, intermediate, and near.
