At Dell Laser Consultants, our highest priority is patient safety. Our board certified ophthalmologists are constantly seeking ways to enhance the outcome of our procedures, and they do so by exploring new techniques and technology as well as reviewing existing data. In an article recently published in the Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery, Dr. Steven J. Dell, our medical director, and his colleagues presented a meta-analysis of peer-reviewed studies concerning multifocal intraocular lenses (IOLs) and how they performed following both cataract surgery and refractive lens exchange (RLE). The purpose of this investigation was to create a more thorough evaluation of IOLs than currently existed. Previous reviews only accounted for the safety and efficacy of IOLs following cataract surgery; Dr. Dell and his co-authors provided a more comprehensive resource by incorporating results following RLE into the analysis.
Dr. Dell and his medical team reviewed 195 studies, which referenced 29 brands of multifocal IOLs and involved 8,797 eyes, making this study one of the largest of its kind ever conducted. A subset of 5,359 patients had both eyes treated with multifocal IOLs, and a remarkable 99.9% of these patients achieved vision sufficient to see 20/40 at distance without glasses. This is the level of vision typically required to obtain an unrestricted driver’s license in the United States. Multifocal IOLs are used to also allow patients to read without spectacles, and the study found very good reading performance from these IOLs. Patient satisfaction was also quite good in the patients studied.
Presbyopia (age-related loss of near vision) and cataracts are a concern for millions of people around the world. Dr. Dell’s research into the safest and most effective surgical solutions can help ophthalmologists select the ideal technique and IOLs for each patient’s needs and goals. Furthermore, Dr. Dell identified where there were opportunities for additional research, as well as where technology could be improved in time
