AIM: To investigate the subjective visual quality, reading fluency and patient satisfaction after a unilateral or bilateral implantation of the Tecnis Symfony extended depth of focus intraocular lens(IOL)with cataract.

METHODS: The retrospective analysis on the 48 patients(71 eyes)with cataract phacomulsification surgery in our hospital, which were randomly divided into two groups. The bilateral group with 23 patients(46 eyes)bilateral implanted the Symfony extended depth of focus IOL, the unilateral group with 25 patients(25 eyes)implanted the Symfony IOL in one eye and an aspherical monofocal IOL in the other eye. The uncorrected distance visual acuity(UDVA), uncorrected intermediate distance visual acuity(UIVA), uncorrected near distance visual acuity(UNVA), and best corrected distance visual acuity(BCVA)were measured 3, 6mo after surgery. The contrast sensitivity, reading fluency, reading speed, patient satisfaction and the occurrence of complications were also observed.

RESULTS: In the unilateral group, there were no significant differences in the UDVA and BCVA between an eye with the Symfony IOL and an eye with monofocal IOL 3mo after surgery(P>0.05). After 6mo of surgery, UDVA were significantly better than pre-operation in two groups, average visual acuity of LogMAR was under 0.1. There were no significant differences in UDVA, BCVA, UIVA and UNVA between two groups(P>0.05). The patients'far, intermediate, and near distances satisfaction were higher after 3mo of surgery. There were no statistically significant differences in spatial frequency contrast sensitivity between the two groups under photopic/mesopic conditions and mesopic with glare 6mo after surgery. The scores of satisfactions for reading fluency were better in the bilateral group than in the unilateral group(P>0.05). After 6mo, the reading speed of binocular group was slightly higher than the unilateral group(P<0.05), but there was no significant difference between two groups(P >0.05).

CONCLUSION:The Symfony extended depth of focus IOL provides good far, intermediate, and near visual acuity in the bilateral group and the unilateral group, while maintaining the same level of visual quality. In both groups over 90% patients were spectacle independent. Symfony IOL has widely adaptability and highly predictability, patients can obtain better satisfactions for reading fluency and reading speed. It is more suitable for intermediate vision.