Abbott announced that the FDA has approved the Tecnis Symfony IOL, the only lens in the United States that provides a full range of continuous vision following cataract surgery while also mitigating the effects of presbyopia, according to a company news release. The FDA approval includes a version of the lens for people with astigmatism, the Tecnis Symfony Toric IOL. Coastal Vision, among the first few practices in California, has begun offering these advanced lenses. We continue our commitment to offer safe and proven technology.

“The lens is different from a traditional multifocal IOL in that it doesn’t split light between near and distance focal points,” Jason Jones, MD, of the Jones Eye Clinic in Sioux City, Iowa, and a clinical investigator for the Tecnis Symfony IOL, said in an article submitted to Eyewiretoday.com. “Rather, a diffractive echelette design feature extends the range of vision, while achromatic technology reduces chromatic aberration to increase contrast sensitivity and enhance quality of vision.”

Patients in the Symfony group were also more likely to achieve reduced overall spectacle wear and high overall visual performance in any lighting condition. Rates of adverse events did not differ between the Symfony and monofocal groups. The Symfony lens is approved in more than 50 countries around the world, and has been widely studied, with data from numerous clinical studies involving over 2,000 eyes. According to AMO, in clinical studies the Symfony lens:

• Provided seamless, day-to-night vision

• Provided high-quality vision

• Demonstrated a low incidence of halo and glare

The Tecnis Symfony Toric IOLs, Models ZXT150, ZXT225, ZXT300 and ZXT375, are indicated for primary implantation for the visual correction of aphakia and for reduction of residual refractive astigmatism in adult patients with greater than or equal to 1 diopter of preoperative corneal astigmatism in whom a cataractous lens has been removed. The lens mitigates the effects of presbyopia by providing an extended depth of focus. Compared to an aspheric monofocal IOL, the lens provides improved intermediate and near visual acuity while maintaining comparable distance visual acuity. The Model Series ZXT IOLs are intended for capsular bag placement only.

Source: Abbott Medical Optics read the full release here