NagyZ_Liberty 677MY vs. Alcon AcrySof

Purpose: to test the visual performance of two multifocal IOLs with different materials and designs, and to assess the long-term stability of refractive and visual outcomes.
Patients and methods: In the current prospective, comparative study 100 eyes of 50 cataract patients undergoing cataract surgery were included. Bilateral implantation of either the hydrophilic trifocal Liberty® 677MY capsular bag IOL by Medicontur Ltd with double C-loop haptics or the hydrophobic AcrySof® IQ ReSTOR® SN6AD1 lens (Alcon Inc.) with modified L- haptics was performed during routine cataract surgery, then refractive outcomes, visual acuity and defocus curves were assessed throughout a two-year follow-up period. The results of the two lenses were not only compared to each other, but any changes in the visual performance of the same lens over time were also evaluated.
Results: Superior visual and refractive outcomes could be observed in the Liberty® group compared to the AcrySof group during the two-year follow-up. Results confirmed long-term stability in the case of the Liberty lens, while a refractive shift towards negative values could be observed with the AcrySof IOL. Defocus curve evaluations support these findings: while the curves of the Liberty lens are stable over time (p=0.5119), the defocus curves of the AcrySof eyes show a significant decrease between the 6th and 12th postoperative months (p<0.0001).
Conclusion: The design of presbyopia-correcting lenses seems to have major impact on the long-term stability of surgical results. Our findings suggest that the Medicontur Liberty lens is a reliable choice also in the long-term.