AcrySof Natural lens performs as well as conventional AcrySof IOL

April 19 - Washington, DC - The AcrySof Natural SN60AT IOL (Alcon Laboratories) provides the same quality of vision as the conventional single-piece AcrySof IOL (Alcon Laboratories) under different degrees of contrast and different light conditions, reported Newton Kara-Jose Jr., MD, during a cataract symposium on phacoemulsification and IOLs at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery annual meeting.

In a small study of 39 cataract patients, the AcrySof Natural lens was implanted in one eye and the conventional lens in the other. Patients were followed for 1 year. Patients were evaluated for visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, and patient satisfaction. Contrast sensitivity was evaluated using the ETDRS with different contrast levels (100%, 25%, and 9%). Their vision was also studied with and without glare.

In addition, a landscape test was performed to determine if patients could tell which lens was implanted in which eye. Patients had to look at a particular landscape using uncorrected and best-corrected refractions at the same time of day or night.

The results showed that each lens provided the same quality of vision even under different degrees of contrast and under different light conditions, Dr. Kara-Jose said.

"Subjectively, most patients preferred the AcrySof Natural IOL rather than the conventional lens during the landscape test," he noted.