Our Experiences With The Elon Extended-Depth-Of-Focus Intraocular Lens

After implantation of an extended-depth-of-focus (EDoF) IOL, the literature suggests that excellent distance and intermediate vision can be expected with functionally good near visual acuity. However, spectacle independence is not expected in the majority of cases. Our aim was to evaluate visual acuity after implantation of the Medicontur ELON IOL in a large patient population.

Klinikoptik Ophthalmic and Optical Center, Nyíregyháza; Prestige Medical Center, Nyíregyháza; University of Miskolc, Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute of Clinical Methodology, Miskolc; Elisabeth Spa Health and Conservation Center, Miskolc.

Standard uneventful phacoemulsification was performed in 143 eyes of 73 patients with ELON (117 cases) or ELON toric (26 cases; 1.0-4.5 D toricity) EDoF IOL implantation. The mean age of the patients was 64,4±8,6 years (range 42.3-81.2 years). At 10,3±10,4 weeks postoperatively (range 4-52 weeks), all patients were evaluated for distance and near visual acuity, objective and subjective refraction was determined and slit-lamp examination was performed.

The mean axial length was 23.25±1.03 mm (range 20.88-26.35 mm), and the planned postoperative refraction was -0.09±0.12 D. Using an automated refractometer, the postoperative mean refraction was measured to be -0,42±0,62 D. The postoperative mean uncorrected distance visual acuity was 0.03±0.08 logMAR. Of the 143 eyes, 120 did not require distance correction (83.9%), while 23 eyes were found to have dioptric correction that improved distance visual acuity (between -1.5 and +0.5 D). The average near uncorrected visual acuity was 0.23±0.12 logRAD. Twenty-eight patients (38.4%) required reading glasses between +0.5 and +2.0 D to read small print after surgery, the remaining patients (61.6%) were virtually spectacle-independent after surgery.

In addition to the expected excellent distance visual acuity, the ELON IOL provided good near visual acuity, which was better than expected preoperatively in a proportion of patients, often providing complete spectacle independence.