Multi-focal Implants

Multi-focal implants allow focusing to occur at multiple distances by using light that enters in different parts of the eye to focus at different distances. This renewed focus sometimes comes with a loss of sharpness when compared to a mono-focal implant, but multi-focal lenses often reduce or eliminate patients’ need for corrective lenses altogether.

Multi-focal IOLs are made up of concentric circles, which vary to allow the eye to focus at different distances. The center of the lens provides distance power, with each surrounding ring being used to stabilize vision at intermediate and close range. All told, 50 percent of the lens is devoted to distance, 36 percent to near vision and 14 to intermediate, virtually eliminating the need for glasses in most patients.

Some eyes take longer than others to grow accustomed to a multi-focal lens, and the potential exists for problems with halos and glare, particularly at night. However, such problems have been limited and usually improve over time, and patients experiencing these difficulties tend to still experience better vision than prior to having the lens implanted.