Hello, this is Goyang Shinsegae Eye Clinic.
When patients receive a consultation before cataract surgery, many are surprised by the wide variety of intraocular lens options available.
There are monofocal, extended depth of focus, and multifocal lenses, as well as numerous products from different manufacturers. With so many names and categories, it can be difficult to understand how they differ.
Most importantly, a more expensive lens or a lens with more features is not necessarily the best choice for every patient.
The visual distance that matters most can vary depending on whether you drive frequently, spend a lot of time working on a computer, or regularly read books and use a smartphone.
Therefore, when looking for a cataract eye clinic in Ilsan, it is important not to begin by choosing a particular product name. Instead, you should first understand the characteristics of each lens type and consider which range of vision is most important in your daily life.
1. What Is a Monofocal Intraocular Lens?
As the name suggests, a monofocal intraocular lens is designed with a single primary focal point.
It focuses incoming light at one main distance so that vision can be optimized for a specific range.
When a monofocal lens is set for distance vision, for example, it generally prioritizes clearer vision for far-away objects. However, reading glasses or other near-vision correction may still be needed for close-up tasks.
This does not mean that monofocal lenses are lacking in function.
Rather than dividing light among several focal ranges, they are designed to concentrate visual performance around a specific distance.
| Lens Type | Visual Characteristic | Points to Consider |
| Monofocal | Designed around one primary focal point | Glasses may be needed for other distances |
| Extended depth of focus | Extends the range of vision from distance toward intermediate distances | Very small print at near distances may remain difficult |
| Multifocal | Designed to provide vision across multiple ranges | Glare, halos, and other visual phenomena should be considered |
2. How Are Extended Depth of Focus Lenses Different?
Extended depth of focus, or EDOF, lenses can be thought of as having characteristics that fall between conventional monofocal and multifocal lenses.
They are designed to extend the depth of focus beyond that of a standard monofocal lens, broadening the functional range of vision from distance toward intermediate distances.
Their main feature is that they aim to preserve good distance vision while providing greater usability at somewhat closer ranges.
However, the term “extended range” does not mean that all small print in books or
on smartphones will necessarily appear perfectly clear without glasses.
Although performance varies by product, larger text at approximately 50 to 60 cm may be relatively comfortable to see, while very small print at closer distances may still be challenging.
For this reason, the visual needs of someone who primarily uses a desktop computer may be different from those of someone who spends a great deal of time looking closely at a smartphone.
This is why, during a consultation at an Ilsan cataract eye clinic, it is more helpful to describe the specific activities you perform and the distances at which you usually perform them rather than simply saying, “I want to see well up close.”
3. Even Among Extended-Range Lenses, Products Differ
Commonly discussed options include Eyhance, Vivity, and PureSee.
All three may provide some benefit for intermediate vision, but they differ in optical design and classification.
01 Eyhance
Eyhance is generally classified as an enhanced monofocal intraocular lens rather than a conventional EDOF lens.
It is designed to maintain strong distance vision while extending the usable range somewhat more toward intermediate distances than a standard monofocal lens.
It may be useful for activities such as computer work and many routine daily tasks, although reading very small print at close range may still require glasses.
02 Vivity
Vivity is a non-diffractive extended depth of focus intraocular lens from Alcon.
Rather than splitting light into several distinct focal points, it is designed to extend the range of clear vision, providing functional vision from distance through intermediate ranges.
03 PureSee
PureSee is an extended depth of focus intraocular lens from Johnson & Johnson Vision.
It is designed to provide a relatively continuous range of vision from distance through intermediate ranges.
It may be considered for patients who spend significant time on computer work or other intermediate-distance activities. However, patients who place a high priority on reading small print at close distances may need to compare it with other types of intraocular lenses.
For this reason, lens selection should be based not only on the name of the product but also on the distances you use most frequently and your daily visual habits.
4. How Are Multifocal Intraocular Lenses Designed?
Multifocal intraocular lenses are designed to provide useful vision across several distances rather than concentrating primarily on a single range.
Some models use a diffractive optical design. When viewed closely, the lens surface may show concentric ring-like structures.
This optical design distributes incoming light across different focal ranges so that patients can use distance, intermediate, and near vision for a variety of everyday activities.
However, because light is distributed across multiple focal ranges, multifocal lenses have
different optical characteristics from monofocal lenses.
Some patients may experience glare around lights or halos, particularly at night.
For this reason, a multifocal lens should not automatically be considered better than a monofocal lens simply because it covers a broader range of vision.
While the wider range can be beneficial, factors such as glare, halos, contrast sensitivity, and night vision should also be considered before surgery.
5. What Types of Multifocal Intraocular Lenses Are Available?
01 Clareon PanOptix
Clareon PanOptix is a multifocal intraocular lens designed to provide a broad range of vision from distance through intermediate and near distances.
It is intended to support a variety of everyday activities, including driving and watching television at a distance, as well as computer work, smartphone use, and reading.
However, because of its optical design, some patients may experience glare or halos around lights at night. Patients who drive frequently at night or are particularly sensitive to these visual phenomena should discuss these considerations carefully before surgery.
02 Clareon PanOptix Pro
Clareon PanOptix Pro is a multifocal intraocular lens that builds on the basic concept of PanOptix with further refinements to its optical design.
It maintains a broad visual range from distance through intermediate and near distances while being designed to use incoming light more efficiently.
It may be considered by patients who want to support a wide variety of daily activities, including driving, television viewing, computer work, smartphone use, and reading.
Compared with PanOptix, the main difference lies in refinements to the optical design and light distribution.
03 Johnson & Johnson Synergy
Synergy is an intraocular lens designed to provide a broad range of vision from distance through intermediate and near ranges.
Its optical structure distributes light across multiple focal ranges to support a variety of visual tasks in everyday life.
However, because of this design, some patients may experience night vision symptoms such as glare or halos, so these optical characteristics should be discussed before surgery.
04 Johnson & Johnson Odyssey
Odyssey is an intraocular lens designed to provide a more continuous range of vision from distance toward near.
Its optical technology is intended to support a broad range of everyday visual tasks while taking overall visual quality and clarity into consideration.
Although Odyssey may sometimes be compared with Synergy because they are from the same manufacturer, the two lenses use different optical technologies and designs and should not be considered identical in their visual characteristics.
Ultimately, even among multifocal intraocular lenses, not every product provides
the same optical design or visual range.
Because manufacturers and models differ in how they distribute light and extend focus, lens selection should take into account both the current condition of the eyes and the distances that are most important in everyday life.
Thank you.
