Often, yes. The extended depth of focus (EDOF) lens occupies the most defensible position in the glaucoma-premium IOL conversation. It offers a meaningful step up from monofocal function, true distance and intermediate vision without glasses for most patients, while imposing a smaller contrast cost than a diffractive trifocal¹. For a patient who wants reduced spectacle dependence but cannot afford to lose much retinal signal, this trade is well matched.
The mechanism explains the suitability. EDOF optics stretch a single focus rather than splitting light into three. Less light is diverted away from the primary image, contrast sensitivity is better preserved, and the dysphotopsia (visual disturbances such as glare or haloes) profile is gentler². In a patient whose ganglion cell complement is already reduced by glaucoma, every preserved photon counts. The clinical experience consistently bears this out: glaucoma patients who would be inappropriate trifocal candidates often do well with an EDOF lens, provided the disease is mild to early-moderate, peripheral, and stable.
Where the Same Exclusions Still Apply
The same exclusions still apply. Paracentral or central field defects on 10-2 testing, pseudoexfoliation with zonular compromise, progressive disease on maximal therapy, or significant uncorrected ocular surface disease all push the decision back towards a monofocal implant. An EDOF lens is not a universal compromise; it is a specific tool for a specific subset of glaucoma patients, and that subset is defined on the same individualised basis that governs every premium IOL decision at Blue Fin Vision®.
Where it fits, the EDOF lens often delivers the highest patient satisfaction in the glaucoma group, precisely because it was matched to the eye, rather than offered as the most premium option on a menu.
References
- Ang RE. Comparison of visual acuity and patient satisfaction following implantation of an extended depth of focus or a diffractive trifocal intraocular lens. Clin Ophthalmol. 2020;14:1031-1038.
- Schallhorn JM, Pantanelli SM, Lin CC, Al-Mohtaseb ZN, Steigleman WA, Santhiago MR, Olsen TW, Kim SJ, Waite AM, Rose-Nussbaumer JR. Multifocal and accommodating intraocular lenses for the treatment of presbyopia: a report by the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Ophthalmology. 2021;128(10):1469-1482.
Related Topics
- Why Trifocal Lenses Are the Lens of Choice for the Glaucoma Patient Wanting Spectacle Independence
- Why Ocular Surface Disease Matters Before Premium Lens Surgery
- What Is a Goal-Lens Mismatch in Cataract Surgery?
- Can Glaucoma Patients Have Trifocal Lenses?
- Is Mild Glaucoma a Contraindication to Trifocal IOLs?
- What Level of Glaucoma Is Suitable for Premium IOLs?
- Do Trifocal IOLs Reduce Contrast Sensitivity?
- Do EDOF Lenses Give True Spectacle Independence?
- Is an EDOF Lens the Right Choice for a Glaucoma Patient?
- Can You Monitor Glaucoma After a Trifocal IOL?
- When Is a Monofocal IOL the Right Lens for a Glaucoma Patient?
