AIM: To observe the effect of intraocular lens(IOL)implantation on visual acuity and contrast sensitivity in patients with cataract.

METHODS: Fifty-eight cases(72 eyes)cataract patients with regular cornel astigmatism, in our hospital from May 2014 to May 2015 were randomly divided into two groups to undergo phacoemulsification and IOL implantation: the observation group: 29 cases(36 eyes)received multifocal toric IOL implantation; the control group: 29 cases(36 eyes)received monofocal toric IOL implantation. Uncorrected distance visual acuity(UCDVA), uncorrected near visual acuity(UCNVA), best corrected distance visual acuity(BCDVA), the best corrected near visual acuity(BCNVA), total eye astigmatism, and the dark contrast sensitivity were observed for these patients at 1 and 6mo after cataract surgery.

RESULTS: There were no statistical significant difference between the two groups at postoperative 1, 6mo on UCDVA, BCNVA, BCDVA and total eye astigmatism(P>0.05). UCNVA of observation group at 1 and 6mo were better than those of control group(P<0.05); there were statistically significant difference in high frequency comparison at the sixth postoperative months(P<0.05).

CONCLUSION: Both monofocal toric IOL implantation, and aspheric multifocal toric IOL implantation for cataract with regular corneal astigmatism are effective to improve visual acuity. But the latter treatment would contribute to the improvement of uncorrected near visual acuity and the dark contrast sensitivity.