Opnion sought on Softec HD momofocal IOL
Posted , 5 users are following.
I have used the search bar, but no results showed for Softec HD IOL. My Dr agreed to put that in my dominant eye for distance, I think that is the one insurance approves, and he will later do my 2nd eye for near vision. My objective is to get at least 13" distance reading of my smartphone with no eye glasses, while getting decent night driving with or without glasses.
0 likes, 12 replies
RonAKA joseph54594
Edited
I know little about it. It appears to be made by a company called Lenstec headquartered in the Barbados. It is quite unusual in that the lens is oval shaped instead of round. I have no idea why they would do that. Perhaps it is to address dysphotopsia caused by seeing the edge of the lens, or getting reflections of the edge of the lens.
joseph54594 RonAKA
Edited
It sounds like a well established lens and one that may give better intermediate vision, not something I thought a monofocal could do. My Dr is not going to test me first in order for to keep on schedule with my surgery. I read your other replies about how some who have mini mono do not have great outcomes. After the past few days on this site, I do not see another option. that would give me reading inside of 13" and non glare night vision. Perhaps this is the risk I must take as I run my business off many business apps on my cell phone from many locations. I have to try to do that eye glasses free. That the softec HD IOL may also aid intermediate vision, is a plus, since my other option was Vividy and despite local Optamologists using those, I have seen several here complain about night vision . I did hear they now use a Clareity material to reduce glare, but they did not seem to have a mini mono close ability.
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RonAKA joseph54594
Posted
I did not see anything that suggested there was any enhancement of depth of focus. There is one publication that does an annual survey on what lenses are being used. I see that the Softec HD was reported at 4% for monofocals. To be frank, this would not be a lens I would choose. I like to stick to the mainstream.
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Review of Ophthalmology Walter Bethke, Editor in Chief PUBLISHED 10 JANUARY 2022 E-Survey: New IOLs Begin To Take Root
joseph54594 RonAKA
Edited
what is the name of that publication? I was told that is what Blue Sheild will pay for and the my optometrist and 40 year friend/fraternity brother has referred his parents and clients to this Dr for 20 years. I would hope that means they are not compromising me. I will inquire again as to my choice of a monofocal lens. It is not an extended range, but still seems to have benefits for intermediate, but I am going for distance on the first eye and want a momofocal lens.
RonAKA joseph54594
Posted
The publication is called Review of Ophthalmology. If you copy that section and paste it into Google for a search it should take you right to the article.
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The mainstream monofocals are:
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Alcon AcrySof IQ
Alcon Clareon (improved version of the AcrySof IQ)
J&J Tecnis 1
B+L enVista
J&J Eyhance
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The Softec lens has some strange features. It is made from a hydrophilic material instead of the more mainstream hydrophobic material. The hydrophilic material is more susceptible to calcification and PCO. The HD lens appears to be rectangular in shape, instead of round. The mainstream lenses are 6 mm in diameter and round.
Guest joseph54594
Edited
Is there any benefit to the Lenstec IOL other than it being covered by insurance? It's interesting that it comes in 1/4 diopter steps.
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One thing that often gets lost in all these discussions about defocus curves and focus distances is lighting. It's something I didn't truly understand until I actually had an IOL implanted. Like, in very bright light I can read J1 with my Eyhance set for distance (I'm also helped by -0.75D astigmatism). And I can read my iPad fairly well at 14" with the brightness all the way up and in a bright room (although the vision has shifted a little far-sighted now… 8 month later so its not as good as it was before). BUT in low light all bets are off. Reading in low light (in bed at night, or a restaurant menu, or reading my compass in the woods at night) impossible.
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So I would say, just keep that in mind. When an EDOF or Enhanced monofocal says you get some or more near or intermediate… that is only in good light. Multifocals should do better in low light because they split light to flatten out the defocus curve (more light is getting to those closer focus distances) but you may still need readers in really low light. And of course we all know about the downsides of Multifocals with overall reduced image quality, contrast, and Dysphotopsias. That's the price you pay for better near vision in a wider range of lighting situations with a Multifocal. There's still no free lunch (until maybe the Juvene comes along)
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I actually just did a test again just now with the morning sun streaming into my livingroom. If I hold my Jaeger card in the direct sun my Eyhance eye can easily read J1 at 14". Crisp. But just taking two steps out of the direct sun in the same room makes it a challenge. And moving into an adjacent room without windows (but with the door to the sunny livingroom open and the ceiling light is on)… impossible. Total blur.
joseph54594 Guest
Posted
I don't know enough to answer, as I am trying to get educated enough to choose a lens. Other than insurance, I have read some excellent reasons they may go with Softec. I use many business apps 13" away from me on a smartphone. I am not willing to have have glasses for that. I also drive at night and am ok with glasses, but do not want glare. So, a monofocal lens with a far and near eye setting, seems the best hope for me. That the softec hd design in monofocal, but had some intermediate vision benefit, may be a reason Mr dr uses them, but I am still evaluating my choices.
joseph54594 Guest
Posted
this is a ps to my earlier response to @david98963. I found an article by an MD that this is from: She had a chart that showed her study results with this lens used for blended monovision, Distance mean visual acuity: 20/20
Intermediate mean visual acuity: 20/20
Near mean visual acuity: 20/30 (J3)
RonAKA joseph54594
Posted
My choice would be a basic tried and true monofocal like the Clareon, AcrySof IQ, B+L enVista, Tecnis 1, or Eyhance. However, in the case of the Eyhance I would set my expectations based on it being a monofocal.
Guest joseph54594
Edited
You should try to find a defocus curve for that IOL. I don't think it's possible (according to the laws of physics) to get a range from 20/20 distance to 13" with anything other than a diffractive multifocal. You'd have to do some amount of monovision with monofocal, enhanced monofocal, or EDOF lenses.
RebDovid joseph54594
Posted
Before agreeing to the Softec HD IOL, you may want to discuss with your surgeon, and possibly investigate on your own, the implications of its being made from a hydrophilic, rather than hydrophobic, acrylic material. According to the English abstract of a German May 2023 article in Die Ophthalmogie--"Hydrophobic surface properties of hydrophilic acrylic lenses do not protect against calicification", "Opacification through calcification of hydrophilic acrylic intraocular lenses is a serious complication of cataract surgery, which usually results in explantation of the lens. In the process of calcification, the intraocular lens material plays a crucial role: calcification only occurs in hydrophilic acrylic lenses. Hydrophobic acrylic lenses show no crystal formation within the polymer."
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Like negative optical side-effects reported with multifocal IOLs and Vivity, I imagine that many people either don't experience this problem or are able to deal with it should it arise. But I'm sufficiently cautious that I would want a better understanding of how this phenomenon does, or doesn't, apply to the Softec IOL before I agreed to it.
stefan64833 joseph54594
Posted
My brother-in-law just had Lenstec Clearview 3 IOL multifocals implanted and is ecstatic about the results. He has not experienced any of the usual long term associated issues such as decreased acuity, contrast sensitivity, or dysphotopsias, so he may be an outlier. The biggest challenge is finding a physician that has worked with them.