1. Community
  2. Eyes
  3. Cataract

Symfony vs Restor 2.5D

Posted , 11 users are following.

derek40125
derek40125

Hello:

I'm a few weeks away from making my IOL selection (and about 8 weeks before surgery) and I'm going back and forth between the low-add Restor 2.5D (my surgeon's choice), Symfony (mainly due to this forum), and a monofocal IOL coupled with a multi-focal contact (I'm currently trialing multifocal contacts in my left eye where the cataract doesn't yet affect my vision). What I'm finding is that there are almost no patient reviews of the Restor 2.5D (although plenty for the 3 and 4 version) while there are hundred of posts like the numerous ones on this forum regarding the Symfony.

There are many clinical studies but many of these are sponsored and I was hoping to hear comments from more patients who actually had this Restor. What I'm expecting is comparable distance vision to Symfony and more of a peak at the intermediate range and slightly lower contrast sensitivity. I'm also expecting small and prominent halos (Restor) vs less prominent but larger concentric rings (Symfony). My main thought here is that these are both popular lens choices so why am I not able to find more than a handful of patient comments on the Restor 2.5D? I tend to feel that people seek out forums like this and post their comments when they have had issues with the product but rarely when everything is fine. Could it be that there just aren't a lot of problems with this newer Restor? Looking in detail at the literature it's nor purely just a lower-add version of their prior product, it seems like many of the design choices were made specifically to improve distance/contrast and reduce the effects of halos. 

I'm hoping that someone on this board has the Restor 2.5 and can comment or, alternatively, found some actual patient reviews that you can direct me to. I have found blogs and other posts from surgeons and have not found a single one who isn't happy with the new Restor but I have found a few who aren't happy with the Symfony. Although,  I can't help but wonder if this is partly due to familiarity with the type of lens, with Synfony being a rather different and new product.

Any comments or research anyone else has found? Thanks in advance. 

 

0 likes, 24 replies

24 Replies

Prev
  • dennis39810
    dennis39810 derek40125

    Posted

    Derek good luck... I"m in NYC, North NJ area & looking for a highly regarded surgeon recommendation.

    • derek40125
      derek40125 dennis39810

      Posted

      Thanks. Are you at the point where you're selecting iol's? This forum and a few others were really helpful. 

    • dennis39810
      dennis39810 derek40125

      Posted

      I have narrowed my choice down. Have a good conventional surgeon... also a number of highly regarded surgeons using laser... am trying to come to a conclusion whether laser is better choice than conventional for Cataract surgery.

       

    • Sue.An
      Sue.An dennis39810

      Posted

      My suggestion is to go where surgeon is skilled at.  If he or she had a lot of experience with laser vs traditional then opt for laser and vice versa.  Not many hospitals where I am from in Canada have that equipment do I had traditional surgery.  Have had a great outcome.  Obviously skill of surgeon in either method is key.  Laser can add significantly to the cost as that equipment is pricey and private clinics will want to cover those expenses.  Good luck to you.
  • Debtwoods
    Debtwoods derek40125

    Posted

    Hi Derek - I am having surgery in 2 days and have decided to go with the Restor 2.5 as opposed to traditional monofocal lenses.  I am VERY VERY nearsighted and know that no matter which lens I choose, I will lose that close up vision. But, I'm hoping I will be happy with the far distance and intermediate vision with the 2.5  I know I will need glasses for really close up and I'll just have to deal with that.  I was considering the traditional monofocals thinking I would just continue to wear glasses with no correction other than lower bi-focal for close up. But several people have indicated not liking the bi-focal aspect.  I'm also a little concerned about the "halo/glare" when driving at night, but that could be the case either way.  Wish me...or rather - the surgeon...luck!

    • at201
      at201 Debtwoods

      Posted

      I think that if you are willing to use glasses for close-up, you should seriously consider Symfony over Restor 2.5.

      The Symfony has more night vision issues than a monotocal lens, but less than Restor 2.5.

      With the Restor 2.5 (as with all multifocal lenses), there is a sharp drop in sharpness in-between the good focus areas, which is harder to get used to. In contrast, Symfony lens provides a good focus over a wide focus range without a drop-off in clarity in-between.

    • derek40125
      derek40125 at201

      Posted

      @Debtwoods, I'm scheduled for that same lens on 2/8, so if you wouldn't mind posting your initial feedback after a week or so I'd very much appreciate it. 

      @at201, it was a tough decision for me. Two factors led me to pick the Restor over the Symphony.

      First, I decided that smaller, but more prominent halos (Restor 2.5) was preferable for me compared with less prominent, but larger concentric rings (Symfony).

      Second, while my surgeon installs both he's done probably 5X as many Restor 2.5's compared with Symfony and has not had a single explant. That added experience is a big plus for me.

      I'm still not sure how much the drop in vision between near and far focus points will bother me. Obviously, this is an advantage of the Symfony, but with the "near" point being at an intermediate, I'm hoping that the two focus point will overlap enough that it won't be that noticeable. I will be reporting back on my experiences in the coming months and this aspect is one of the many things I want to describe to other potential patients.  

    • Sue.An
      Sue.An Debtwoods

      Posted

      If you are wanting more range of focus and aren’t overly concerned with seeing multiple concentric circles around certain lights at night I recommend Symfony lenses.  I have them in both eyes and do not need glasses at all.  My surgeries were 5 months ago.   The night vision for me has improved over the last few months and night driving for me is not an issue.   I like the daytime vision these lenses give me and have been very satisfied with the result.
    • at201
      at201 derek40125

      Posted

      One cannot completely trust the lens manufacturers' data and the actual attained vision depends on other individual factors, but just comparing their data for the 2 lenses, the Symfony provides a slightly better vision from 23 inches and beyond (assuming 20/20 at far distances for both, 20/22 for Symfony versus 20/25 for Restor 2.5 at 40 inches; 20/25 for Symfony versus 20/28 for Restor 2.5 at 26 inches; and about 20/27 for both at 23 inches. At closer distances, Restor 2.5 seems to be better: 20/32 for Symfony versus  20/26 for Restor 2.5 at 20 inches; and 20/45 for Symfony versus 20/32 for Restor 2.5 at 16 inches.

      Thus, it boils down to your desire and preference about the range at which you want to have better vision.

Back to top
Prev

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.