EDOF contact lenses improve near to intermediate vision in presbyopia
Key takeaways:
- Visual acuity at distances of 0.3 m, 0.5 m and 0.7 m significantly improved.
- Users experienced higher satisfaction levels with EDOF contact lenses.
Extended depth of focus contact lenses improved near to intermediate vision while maintaining far vision, leading to higher satisfaction in individuals with presbyopia, according to a study.
In the Journal of Clinical Medicine, Kazutaka Kamiya, MD, PhD, of Kitasato University, Sagamihara, Japan, and colleagues wrote that extended depth of focus (EDOF) contact lenses (CLs) have shown promise in presbyopia, but they have not been studied across all distances.
“Theoretically, EDOF CLs hold several potential advantages over traditional multifocal CLs,” they wrote. “These include reduced reliance on pupil size variations, diminished sensitivity to CL movement and mitigated declines in contrast sensitivity.”
To assess visual performance and overall satisfaction with EDOF CLs, Kamiya and colleagues conducted a prospective study in 42 eyes of 21 subjects with presbyopia. They assessed visual acuity at distances of 0.3 m, 0.5 m, 0.7 m, 1 m, 2 m, 3 m and 5 m before and during EDOF CL wear and looked at contrast sensitivity function and overall satisfaction score.
Using an all-distance vision tester, the researchers determined that there was significant improvement in visual acuity at near to intermediate distances (0.3 m, 0.5 m and 0.7 m) but not at distances of 1 m or more when comparing before and during CL wear. Additionally, contrast sensitivity function did not significantly change during CL wear under either photopic or mesopic conditions, according to the study.
Using visual analog scale scores, Kamiya and colleagues determined that overall satisfaction increased from 37.9 ± 31.3 to 65.7 ± 23 during EDOF CL wear (P = .008).
“The outcomes of our study may support the view that EDOF CLs are effective for obtaining satisfactory vision across the entire near-to-far range, consequently leading to higher levels of overall satisfaction, notwithstanding a marginal decline in contrast sensitivity function,” they wrote. “Based on our findings, we believe that EDOF CLs are one of the feasible options for presbyopic correction, particularly when patients prioritize far vision even when wearing presbyopic CLs.”
Perspective
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There is an increasing demand for presbyopic correction in contacts with as little dependence on glasses as possible. Current data comprise studies on multifocal soft contacts, which have inherent drawbacks, or custom multifocal lenses, which require more chair time from the provider and often more financial investment from the patient.
EDOF lenses work by extending the range of clear vision using optics that reduce visual distortions and aberrations as opposed to conventional multifocal soft CLs, which rely on distinct near, intermediate and distance zones. This study on EDOF performance is promising, especially for patients who were previously not good candidates for presbyopia-correcting contacts due to pupil size or those who do a lot of nighttime driving. Because they are less affected by the limitations that often hinder the success rate of multifocal CLs, EDOF lenses could be a useful tool to add to our arsenal against presbyopia.
However, the study’s small sample size and lack of long-term data on dry eye-related lens comfort and acuity need to be investigated further — especially considering dry eye is a leading cause of CL dropout. Ultimately, while EDOF lenses may become a valuable future option, individual visual needs should still be carefully evaluated and expectations set accordingly.
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