Abbott receives US FDA approval for new cataract multifocal intraocular lens

Abbott has announced having received U S Food and Drug Administration approval for its Tecnis Multifocal 1-Piece intraocular lens (IOL) for cataract patients with and without presbyopia, or farsightedness resulting from a reduced ability to focus caused by loss of elasticity of the crystalline lens with age.

Intraocular lenses are implanted in a patient's eye after the removal of the natural lens that has become clouded by a cataract. Conventional monofocal IOLs are designed to focus primarily at one distance and do not correct presbyopia, an age-related change in vision that occurs when the eye's natural lens can no longer adjust its focal length to allow clear vision at different distances.

The Tecnis lens has also received presbyopia-correcting IOL status by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), providing Medicare beneficiaries with the option to receive a Tecnis Multifocal 1-Piece lens for an additional fee as part of cataract surgery.

"With this approval, Medicare cataract patients have a new opportunity to enjoy near, intermediate and distance vision without needing glasses, with nearly 9 out of 10 patients reporting that they never wear glasses following surgery," said Jim Mazzo, senior vice president, Abbott Medical Optics.

 Mazzo also said "As an added benefit, surgeons now have the clinical benefits and high patient satisfaction rates they have come to expect with the TECNIS Multifocal 3-Piece IOL in a next-generation, easy to insert, one-piece design."

The Tecnis Multifocal 1-Piece IOL is a pupil-independent, full diffractive presbyopia-correcting lens designed for optimal image quality at all distances under any lighting condition. Its unique optic design gives patients superior near vision and reading speed compared to other presbyopia-correcting IOLs.