Monofocal lens implants are capable of correcting vision at distance or at near but not both.
When choosing a monofocal lens implant, most patients elect to have their distance vision corrected. For patients who do not have significant corneal astigmatism, there is a very high likelihood that they won't need glasses for far vision. However, these patients will still require reading glasses for near tasks.
Generally there are different types of monofocal lenses available. At the Benjamin Eye Institute we utilize only the best high contrast sensitivity monofocal lenses. Unlike at some places, we do no charge patients for the use of 'High Technology' monofocal IOL's at Benjamin Eye Institute.
A good example of a 'high technology' monofocal IOL is Tecnis IOL.
Tecnis IOL
The Tecnis IOL is a WaveFront designed monofocal intraocular lens implant, which corrects for spherical aberrations induced by the patients cornea. Simply put, this lens has a high tech design that actually improves contrast sensitivity for distance.
Night driving simulator testing of the TECNIS lens has been shown clinically to improve functional vision. Based on these test results, the TECNIS IOL is likely to provide a meaningful safety benefit for older drivers and the drivers and pedestrians with whom they share the road. In simulated nighttime driving study, the TECNIS lens implant enabled drivers a 45 foot advantage in identification distance at 55mph compared to a traditional IOL (see diagram below).
The implantation of this lens is usually combined with other refractive procedures, such as Limbal Relaxing Incisions which eliminate astigmatism and other refractive errors. This results in a patient achieving better contrast sensitivity and color perception, especially in a low contrast environment, such as nighttime or fog. Whether climbing stairs, reading a menu by candlelight or even driving at night, the Tecnis lens allows the eye to function more like a younger person's eye.
Advantage:
- Improved contrast sensitivity
- Improved color perception
Disadvantage:
- Reading glasses still needed for fine print
Call Benjamin Eye Institute to learn more about Monofocal Lenses and other lens styles that may be right for you. Let us answer your questions .
