REFRACTIVE EWAP SEPTEMBER 2023 21 Contact information Chang: dchang@empireeyeandlaser.com Waring: georgewaringiv@gmail.com Daniel Chang, MD, and George Waring IV, MD, have studied and used light - blocking and light - filtering IOL technology in clinical practice, and they discussed the concepts behind blocking and filtering certain violet and blue light. Dr. Chang said Alcon popularized the idea of short wavelength/high energy light filtering with its Natural chromophore more than 15 years ago. This was a blue light filter, and it was marketed as a feature for macular protection. There have been studies looking at this chromophore and its potential impact on contrast and tolerance to dysphotopsias, bright lights, and challenging lighting conditions, he said. Johnson & Johnson Vision received FDA approval for its OptiBlue chromophore as well. OptiBlue is now a key enabling technology of the InteliLight portfolio, which recently launched with the Tecnis Synergy and Tecnis Symfony OptiBlue with InteliLight IOLs, Dr. Chang said. He was an investigator on the original clinical trials for OptiBlue back in 2006, now published. 1 The technology was studied in monofocal IOLs, and it was shown to decrease difficulty A look at violet-blocking and blue light - filtering technology by Ellen Stodola Editorial Co - Director with driving in both day and nighttime conditions, and there was less frustration with vision, Dr. Chang said. Subsequently, Johnson & Johnson Vision added this technology to its range of vision lens portfolio to reduce dysphotopsias at nighttime as well. Dr. Waring has also evaluated light-filtering technology. “Recently we have had an evolution in IOL technology with the advent of the first violet light-filtering IOL available in the U.S. as part of the InteliLight portfolio,” Dr. Waring said. “This is an improvement in IOL performance for better quality of vision and mitigation of dysphotopsia.” Violet light filtration is designed to mitigate halo, glare, and starbursts, resulting in fewer disturbances during nighttime activities, Dr. Waring said. In addition, the achromatic technology corrects for chromatic aberrations for improved contrast, and the high resolution echelette design reduces light scatter and halo intensity. Dr. Waring and Dr. Chang were two of the first surgeons in the U.S. to have pre-market access to the Tecnis Symfony OptiBlue with InteliLight. “We performed an informal pilot evaluation in a contralateral series of patients with legacy Symfony in one eye and Tecnis Symfony OptiBlue with InteliLight, or the violet light filter, in the other eye, and with non-directed questioning, the patients noticed less dysphotopsia in the eye with Tecnis Symfony OptiBlue with InteliLight,” he said. “It seemed to be that there was more of an improvement in the starburst type of dysphotopsia in particular.” Dr. Waring explained that low wavelength visible light is becoming more prevalent with LED lights. “We see that with violet filtration, which is in a shorter wavelength than blue light filtration,” he said. Violet light produces the most scatter, and it turns out that violet filters reduce halo intensity as well. “In the pilot and original studies comparing the Tecnis violet with clear, it was seen that nighttime driving was statistically better with a violet filtration,” he said. “There are other benefits of blocking violet where we might want to preserve blue light.” This can regulate circadian rhythms, which is beneficial for sleep and cognitive function. Dr. Waring said that this aids in low-light contrast, and it has been used in diffractive presbyopia-correcting IOLs in the U.S. before. There is better nighttime performance and This article originally appeared in the July 2023 issue of EyeWorld. It has been slightly modified and appears here with permission from the ASCRS Ophthalmic Services Corp.
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