Lens implants
A lens decision you make once, for decades
Your artificial lens stays with you for the rest of your life. This page compares the options the way we do in the consulting room: with the drawbacks included.
- Monofocal · EDOF · Trifocal
- Toric versions for astigmatism
- Advice before products
The three lens families
What each lens does well, and where it compromises
Every intraocular lens trades something for something. Anyone who only tells you the advantages is selling, not advising.
One sharp distance
Monofocal lens
Typical range of sharp vision
Focused on one distance, usually far. The picture there is excellent, with crisp contrast and calm night vision. For screens and reading you wear glasses.
Strengths
- Sharpest single-distance image
- Very low risk of halos at night
- Included in the standard fee
Honest limits
- Reading glasses are needed
- Screens may need glasses too
Extended depth of focus
EDOF lens
Typical range of sharp vision
One elongated focus instead of separate focal points. Distance and arm’s-length vision flow into each other: driving, cooking, dashboard, laptop. Fine print still prefers light reading glasses.
Strengths
- Continuous far-to-middle range
- Night-vision side effects stay low
- A practical everyday compromise
Honest limits
- Small print often still needs glasses
Near, middle and far
Trifocal lens
Typical range of sharp vision
Three focal points cover reading, screen and distance. Many patients manage most of daily life without glasses. The optics split light, so halos around lights at night are possible, and most people adapt to them over months.
Strengths
- Greatest independence from glasses
- Reading without spectacles is realistic
Honest limits
- Halos and glare at night are possible
- Needs healthy macula and suitable eyes
- Not ideal for frequent night drivers
Percentages illustrate typical focus behaviour of each lens family, not a guaranteed result. Your outcome depends on your eyes, which is exactly what the assessment measures.
Astigmatism
Toric lenses: the correction built in
Around one in three cataract patients has enough corneal astigmatism to blur vision at every distance. A standard lens leaves that blur in place, and glasses have to fix it.
A toric lens corrects the astigmatism inside the eye, during the same operation, through the same small opening. It is aligned to your individual axis, which we measure to the degree beforehand.
Monofocal, EDOF and trifocal lenses all exist in toric versions. If your measurements show relevant astigmatism, we will show you the numbers and explain the difference it would make.
How we decide together
- 1
Your habits first
Reading, screens, driving at night, sports: your day shapes the shortlist.
- 2
Your measurements second
OCT, biometry and corneal analysis rule lenses in or out on medical grounds.
- 3
The honest trade-off
We name the compromise of each remaining option. You choose with full information.
- 4
A written quote
Lens, fee and everything included, fixed on paper before you commit.
Lens questions
What patients ask about lens choice
Which lens is the best one?
There is no single best lens, only the best lens for a particular pair of eyes and a particular life. A night-shift taxi driver and a keen reader need different optics. That is why our advice starts with your habits, not with a product.
Will I be completely free of glasses with a trifocal lens?
No surgeon can promise that honestly. Trifocal lenses give most suitable patients a large degree of independence from glasses in everyday life. A thin pair for special situations, such as very fine print in dim light, can still be useful.
What is a toric lens?
A toric lens corrects astigmatism, an oval curvature of the cornea, directly inside the eye. Every lens category on this page is available in a toric version. Whether you need one is clear from the measurements at your assessment.
What do premium lenses cost?
The monofocal lens is included in the standard surgery fee from €3,120 per eye. EDOF, trifocal and toric lenses are quoted individually after your measurements, because the exact model depends on your eyes. You receive the full written quote before you decide. Details on our costs page.
Can I choose a premium lens if I do not have a cataract yet?
The same operation can be performed to correct strong glasses prescriptions or presbyopia. It is then called refractive lens exchange. The assessment, the surgery and the lenses are identical. Ask us about it at your consultation.
Find the lens that fits your life
Bring your questions and your habits. We bring measurements and honest advice. The lens decision is made together, never under pressure.