Laying the Foundation for Success in Cataract Surgery with State-of-the-Art Technology, Part 3
Choosing the right IOL for the right patient: visual performance and stability of a modified aspheric monofocal IOL

Numerous factors contribute to success in cataract surgery and influence the experience for patients, surgeons, and their surgical team. In this four-part interactive program, leading cataract surgeons provide insights on strategies for optimizing outcomes in cataract surgery. It begins with tips for a proper preoperative evaluation that will help surgeons plan the procedure, minimize the risk of intraoperative complications, and achieve the desired visual results. The rest of the program is devoted to developments in technology that improve safety, efficacy, and efficiency.
Part 3: Choosing the right IOL for the right patient: visual performance and stability of a modified aspheric monofocal IOL
Cataract and lens refractive surgery have reached a very high level of safety because of advances in technology used for lens extraction. Meanwhile, improvements in the accuracy of IOL power predictions and IOL technology continue to be a focus for improving surgical outcomes. Although the number of advanced technology IOLs continues to increase, for reasons of cost or issues related to ocular comorbidities, most patients choose or are only candidates for surgery with a monofocal IOL.
The aim of surgery with a monofocal IOL is to provide the targeted refractive outcome and clear vision that will be maintained over time. Selecting an implant that will meet these goals and the patient’s expectations should consider outcomes from bench testing and clinical research. According to available evidence, IOL material, optic design, including asphericity and edge profile, and haptic characteristics are all important factors influencing refractive predictability, postoperative visual quality, and long-term outcome stability. Then, from the surgeon’s perspective, IOL handling, delivery, and unfolding behavior are important because these characteristics impact operating room efficiency as well as safety.
We believe that all of these issues are well addressed with the CT LUCIA 621P, which is the latest entry from Carl Zeiss Meditec AG into the important market of monofocal IOLs. Made of a hydrophobic acrylic material with a heparin-coated surface, the CT LUCIA 621P is a modified aspheric (aberration-correcting) single-piece IOL with a 6.0 mm optic and overall length of 13.0 mm.
The CT LUCIA 621P has an aberration profile (ZO, Figure 6) that was engineered based on the realistic Liou-Brennan eye model and aims to create an ideal balance between aberration correction and aberration neutral effects. The central zone of the CT LUCIA 621P has negative spherical aberration to provide improved image quality by compensating for positive corneal aberration while there is positive spherical aberration in the periphery of the optic that confers increased tolerance to IOL decentration.