Trifocal Lenses or Trifocal IOLs are one of the types of cataract lenses. These, like the other lenses, are implanted in the eye during your cataract surgery. A cataract causes blurry vision because the lens inside your eye becomes opaque. This natural lens which has not turned opaque, is removed and replaced by artificial lenses or IOLs. This cataract surgery is also known as Phaco Surgery or laser eye surgery. These lenses give you complete or almost complete freedom from glasses.
The other types of IOLs are Monofocal IOLs, Multifocal IOL, EDOF IOLs and Toric IOLs. IOL stands for intraocular lenses
Trifocal lenses, as the name suggests, give you three focal distances. In other words, you can see clearly at three distances. These are
Intermediate distances are when you would most likely be using your computer or using your handheld devices.
An incoming light into the eye splits into three rays of light. Each beam of light gives you a clear vision for one distance, depending on where one is looking.
As mentioned earlier, there are various types of lenses. Choosing the best intraocular lenses for you can be a little confusing. However, one must remember that there is nothing like the best cataract lens. A lens choice would depend on the individual's lifestyle, requirements, and personality.
So let's say, e.g., you hardly use a computer, then there may not be a need to select a trifocal lens. In another situation, let's say you love wearing glasses because you have worn them all your life and will continue to do so after surgery. Then again, you probably should not choose a trifocal lens. On the other hand, let's say you are keen to become glass-free after surgery, then a trifocal lens may be a good option for you.
During a cataract consultation, patients sometimes say they don't want to choose a trifocal lens because they don't like their progressive pair of glasses and assume that a trifocal lens will be very similar as far as the experience is concerned. Progressive glasses, also called multifocal glasses by some, are those lenses through which a person can see far and near, but there is no line on the lens as seen in bifocal lenses.
Well, that is not true. A trifocal lens design is very different from a progressive lens design. A trifocal lens has these visible lines on them, which are circular. These circular lines are what give the lens the trifocality.
Trifocal lenses are also different from the traditional bifocal corrective lenses that again go in glasses. Bifocal lenses also have a visible line and cause an image jump when a person switches from looking far to looking near. The newer progressive lenses don't have the visible line or the image jump. Trifocal lenses don't cause any image jump at all.
As the name suggests, Trifocal lenses give you clear vision for three distances. On the other hand, Multifocal lenses give you clear vision for only two distances, near and far. If you have a multifocal lens implanted in your eye and need to use a computer without glasses, there is a possibility that you would have to move closer to the computer screen than you would like.
A monofocal lens gives you clear vision for only far. If you want to see anything near, let's say a phone or a menu, you would have to wear glasses. The Eyhance Monofocal intraocular lenses give you some near vision, but you would still not be able to read small print clearly without glasses.
On the other hand, a trifocal IOL will give you a clear vision for far, intermediate, and near.
Once implanted, a trifocal lens gives glass-free vision for almost 90-95% of all your activities. It is thus evident that the headache of wearing glasses and trying to see clearly through them is eliminated. Those who play sports don't have to worry about glasses sliding down the nose or falling off their faces. There are no issues with fogging of lenses, especially these days with everyone wearing masks.
We believe that using these lenses eliminates the headaches of wearing glasses and sometimes changing glasses, and the quality of your daily life improves.
As mentioned earlier, Trifocal IOLs have these visible concentric lines on the lens. It is these lines that give the lens its trifocality. However, these lines also cause halos around the oncoming headlights. Thus if an individual does a lot of night driving or has an active social life in the evenings, then maybe this lens is not a good option for you.
At Eye Solutions, we are routinely implanting trifocal lenses. Younger individuals leading an active life in terms of work and sports form a vast majority wanting to get rid of glasses. By more youthful, we mean below 55 years of age. They may have an early cataract or not have a cataract at all. They, however, are still keen to get rid of glasses.
We perform what is known as clear lens exchange or refractive lens exchange. Here, cataract surgery replaces the eye's natural lens with a trifocal lens. The individual becomes glass-free and can continue to lead an active life, not worrying about wearing glasses.
Patients may take a few days to get adjusted to a trifocal lens. Suddenly you can see most of the world clearly without glasses. It is important to remember to get the other eye surgery within a week or ten days. In other words, one must get bilateral implantation of a trifocal lens to avail the maximum benefit of these lenses. Bilateral surgery is necessary because the eyes and vision centers in the brain get adjusted to the new lens quicker. Also, there is no confusion about focusing to see clearly. Getting both eye surgery also avoids eye strain and improves vision quality overall.
You should also know that just because one chooses a Trifocal lens does not mean that you will never have to wear glasses. Yes, you will not need glasses for 95% of your activities. If you are lucky, then even for 100%. A vast majority of our patients don't need glasses after surgery. But there is always a chance you will need a small number to see tiny print for either distance vision or near vision. This small number comes because of the healing of the eye. Each eye is different, and while the eye heals after surgery, if the corneal shape gets a bit altered, so will the eye number or eye power. The technical name for eye power is a refractive error.
Diabetes can also affect the eyes and cause diabetic eye disease. It is also known as Diabetic Retinopathy. If someone has diabetic Retinopathy, it would not be suitable to choose a trifocal lens because the quality of vision after the surgery would be poor. Thus even though the surgery goes well and vision may also be good after surgery because the quality of vision is lacking, the patient may be depressed.
Age-related macular degeneration or ARMD is another retinal disease when a trifocal lens is unsuitable.
Finally, as mentioned earlier, these lenses cause halos around the oncoming headlights. These halos cause significant visual disturbances. Thus if an individual is involved with night driving or leads an active social life in the evenings, the trifocal lens may not be a good option for them.
Many companies make trifocal lenses. For the past few years, even the Indian IOL manufacturers have been making trifocal IOLs.
The more well-known brands are the Zeiss Trifocals lens and Synergy Trifocal lens. Synergy is by Johnson & Johnson Vision.
Majority of our patients who want a Zeiss trifocal lens know beforehand that they wish this lens implanted in their eyes. After an initial discussion, it is natural that they ask us the Zeiss cataract lens price in India. However, your eye doctors will inform you about all the options available and the pros and cons of each.
At Eye Solutions, we use lenses by both Indian and foreign companies, but most of our patients get the Zeiss or Synergy IOL.
Synergy Trifocal IOL is one of the newest trifocal IOLs available in the market. It is slightly different from a traditional trifocal lens. Here, you may want to read about EDOF lenses (extended depth of focus). A Synergy lens combines an EDOF lens and a multifocal lens, an innovative technology. This lens gives you clear vision for far, intermediate, and near just like a trifocal lens. However, it also gives you a clear vision for the entire range between near and intermediate and a little further. This range of vision that this lens provides improves the quality of vision significantly, and we believe that this is the best trifocal lens available in the market today.
The Synergy IOL is relatively new. We have used many more Zeiss Trifocal IOls compared to the Synergy IOL and are extremely satisfied with the visual outcomes. Patient satisfaction is very high with both eyes premium trifocal lenses.
Trifocal lenses are the most expensive lenses available in the market. Naturally, your total surgery cost would be highest if you were to choose a trifocal lens. Indian trifocal lenses are cheaper than foreign lenses. But to give you an idea cost of a trifocal lens cataract surgery would range from 70000 to Rs 150000 per eye. You can read more about the cost of cataract surgery in Mumbai.
The Zeiss cataract lens price in India is Rs 135000 per eye. Please note that this price is not only the cost of the lens but your entire surgery cost. If you would like to see the whole range of cataract lens prices, please see the cost of cataract surgery.
Choosing the best cataract lens could be confusing. But it's not that bad. At the outset, one must know what does one desire. Most important is to discuss with your eye care provider to understand their point of view and take their help in choosing a lens.
You must understand that every eye care professional wants you to become glass-free after cataract surgery and suggest a lens accordingly.
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