Novartis’s eye health division launches IOL

Alcon have launched AcrySof IQ PanOptix Toric presbyopia- and astigmatism-correcting intraocular lens (IOL) for patients with pre-existing corneal astigmatism undergoing cataract surgery.

This is a new option for astigmatic patients who seek to address their near, intermediate and distance vision needs with a single lens, Novartis said in its press release.

This new lens achieved CE Mark status in November 2016, and was recently launched in Spain, Portugal and Chile. It extends the PanOptix trifocal platform that was first launched at the September 2015 European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons meeting in Barcelona.

Mike Ball, CEO and Division Head, Alcon said that this lens gives patients the visual clarity and increased independence to improve their current lifestyles and it allows surgeons to treat astigmatism at the same time as presbyopia with a trifocal that is part of the market-leading AcrySof platform.

About AcrySof IQ PanOptix Toric IOL

Novartis explained that the new AcrySof IQ PanOptix Toric IOL is intended for primary implantation in the capsular bag of the posterior chamber of the human eye for the visual correction of aphakia and pre-existing corneal astigmatism secondary to removal of a cataractous lens or clear lens. It is indicated for adult patients with and without presbyopia undergoing cataract surgery who desire near, intermediate and distance vision with increased spectacle independence. It utilizes the same trifocal optic as the AcrySof IQ PanOptix IOL on the front surface of the lens and combines it with the astigmatic correction features of a toric IOL on the back surface. The company noted that this is the only IOL that delivers an intermediate focal point at 60 cm, a distance preferred by many patients for intermediate vision activities, combined with the exceptional rotational and axial stability of the AcrySof single piece design.

“Without innovations like this, many of my patients undergoing cataract surgery still need to rely on glasses or contact lenses to correct near vision issues or astigmatism post-surgery,” said Dr. Thomas Kohnen, Professor and Chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology, Goethe-University Frankfurt. “The availability of vision correction options like the AcrySof IQ PanOptix Toric IOL helps them get back to driving, reading books and using electronic devices without contacts or eyeglasses with tolerable side effects in comparison with previous technologies.”