FDA approves first extended depth of focus IOL

The Tecnis Symfony IOL is the first in a new category of multifocal IOLs that provide a full range of continuous high-quality vision after cataract surgery, improving intermediate and near vision while maintaining comparable distance visual acuity.

The FDA approval includes a toric version, the Tecnis Symfony Toric IOL, indicated for adult cataract patients with less than 1 D of pre-existing corneal astigmatism.

Dr. Cynthia Matossian discusses the concept of extended depth of focus and extended range of vision IOLs in a Current Insight article on the ONE Network.

Approval was based on results from a prospective, double-masked trial that randomized 295 subjects to receive either the Symfony lens or the Tecnis one-piece aspheric acrylic IOL (ZCB00). The Symfony group achieved 1.7 more lines of uncorrected intermediate visual acuity (monocular UCIVA) and 2.4 additional lines of distance corrected intermediate visual acuity (monocular DCIVA) at 66 cm compared with patients in the monofocal group. Additionally, the Symfony patients maintained both uncorrected and best corrected, monocular and binocular, distance visual acuity.

Abbott says its proprietary lens incorporates a second diffractive optic technology that reduces chromatic aberration and boosts image quality.

The Symfony IOL is already approved in more than 50 countries.