Johnson & Johnson Vision has announced the Australian availability of the new monofocal TECNIS Eyhance intraocular lens (IOL). In a first for the category, the company claims the new device allows patients to experience high quality vision at both intermediate and far distances.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration approved the lens in March this year. It has now been listed on the Australian Government’s Prostheses List and is widely available.
The TECNIS lens is very similar to Johnson & Johnson’s ZCB00 monofocal lens, but includes a miniscule raised bump on its front surface. The company claims the design allows for glasses-free sight at both far and intermediate distances; a significant improvement over other IOLs currently available. Also, the design avoids the haloing and glare sensitivity at night that is seen in other multifocal or Extended Depth of Focus (EDoF) lenses.
Dr Con Moshegov, ophthalmologist and medical director at the George Street Eye Centre in Sydney, was the first surgeon in Australia to implant the IOL and has now used the device with 10 patients.
Speaking to Insight, he said in his experience the TECNIS Eyhance IOL offers more benefits than a standard monofocal lens with none of the drawbacks associated multifocal or EDoF lenses.
“You’re getting something for nothing. It reduces people’s dependence on glasses. Not to the point where they can read without glasses, but they can manage most things like larger fonts on an iPad or medium size fonts on a computer.”
Moshegov believes with the added benefits of intermediate vision and little drawback, the device is an easy recommendation.
“You are getting some intermediate vision that you wouldn’t get with an ordinary monofocal, but you’re not paying the price of unwanted side effects if you use an alternative diffractive style lens.
“We’ve got to really do enough to compare it to a standard ZCB00 before we can say that it is conclusively much better, but my first impression is that it is.”
Moshegov said the only constant noticed so far is a small degree of myopia; about -0.5 diopters. A small degree of myopia with these lenses goes a long way to help [patients] with intermediate and near vision tasks without glasses.
Mr Christoph Vonwiller, regional vice-president, surgical, Asia Pacific & Japan, Johnson & Johnson Vision, said the devices builds upon the legacy of the TECNIS family of IOLs.
“We are proud to provide a highly effective treatment option that can ensure high-quality vision for patients, as we continue to work with eye care professionals to connect cutting-edge insights, science and technology to preserve and enhance sight for life.”
The lens received European approval last year, and has been available there since February.
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