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Attitudes and understanding of premium intraocular lenses in cataract surgery: a public health sector patient survey

Eye volume 38, pages 76–81 (2024)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Objectives

To investigate patient understanding of, and attitudes to, premium (toric, extended depth of focus/multifocal) intraocular lenses (premIOLs) in public health sector patients undergoing cataract surgery (CS) in the UK.

Methods

A 12 question survey with Likert scale questions was designed, to assess patient attitudes to post-operative spectacle dependence, refractive target and desirability of spectacle independence whilst considering possible complications of dysphotopsias and need for premIOL exchange/adjustment.

Results

360 surveys were collected. CS had not been performed in 66.5%. Separate spectacles were worn for reading and distance in 28.8%, 19.2% had varifocals, 11.2% bifocals, 22.9% reading glasses only and 1.6% computer glasses only. Contact lenses were not worn in 95.7%. Only 41.6% were drivers. Most patients (85.8%) did not mind wearing glasses after CS, with 78.9% preferring reading glasses, compared with 29.7% preferring distance glasses. Most patients (75.3%) were not familiar with premIOLs, with 58.9% not willing to consider them in the context of a 2% risk of debilitating dysphotopsia and 54.2% rejecting a 5% risk of second surgery.

Conclusions

There is a lack of awareness of premIOLs in public health sector (NHS) patients in the UK, suggesting limitations in the “fully informed” consent process for CS. Most NHS CS patients are currently willing to wear spectacles after CS, especially reading glasses. There is reluctance in such patients to consider premIOLs on a background of small risks of debilitating dysphotopsias and increased risks of a second operation.

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Data availability

The datasets generated by the survey research during and/or analysed during the current study are available on application to the corresponding author.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful for a non-commercial grant from J&J inc. which helped partially fund this study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ophthalmology Dept, Guy’s & St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust, St Thomas’ Hospital, Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7EH, UK

    Ashmal Jameel, Lucia Dong, Khayam Naderi, Sancy Low, Elodie Azan, Seema Verma, Scott Robbie, Mani Bhogal & David O’Brart

  2. Frost Research Clinic, Ophthalmology Dept, Kings College London, St Thomas’ Hospital, Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7EH, UK

    Ashmal Jameel, Khayam Naderi & David O’Brart

  3. GKT Medical School, Guy’s Campus, Great Maze Pond, London, SE1 1UL, UK

    Chun Fung Jeffrey Lam

  4. Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, Turner Street, London, E1 2AD, UK

    Hana Mahmood

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  1. Ashmal Jameel
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Contributions

KN, LD and DO’B designed the questionnaire with contributions from MB, SL and EA. Data were collected by all authors. AJ analysed the data and wrote the paper with DO’B. The project was overseen by DO’B.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to David O’Brart.

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Competing interests

DO’B holds non-commercial research grants with Rayner Ltd. and J&J Inc and is a consultant for Sparca Inc. The other authors declare no competing interests.

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Jameel, A., Dong, L., Lam, C.F.J. et al. Attitudes and understanding of premium intraocular lenses in cataract surgery: a public health sector patient survey. Eye 38, 76–81 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41433-023-02633-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41433-023-02633-6

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