AIM: To compare the short-term postoperative visual acuity, visual disturbance phenomena, and spectacle independence rate in patients who underwent monocular implantation with trifocal, multifocal, or extended range of vision intraocular lens(IOL).METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 67 cataract patients(67 eyes)who underwent phacoemulsification cataract extraction combined with IOL implantation from March 2019 to December 2022. A total of 35 cases(35 eyes)received Symfony extended range of vision IOL implantation, 21 cases(21 eyes)received AcrySof IQ ReSTOR +3D multifocal IOL, and 11 cases(11 eyes)received AcrySof IQ PanOptix trifocal IOL. The preoperative uncorrected distance visual acuity(UDVA), uncorrected intermediate visual acuity(UIVA), and uncorrected near visual acuity(UNVA)and 3 mo postoperatively were documented. Moreover, defocus curves, visual disturbance phenomena, and spectacle independence rates were recorded at 3 mo postoperatively.RESULTS: At 3 mo postoperatively, no statistically significant differences were observed in UDVA among the three groups(P>0.05). A comparison of UIVA showed superior results in the Symfony and PanOptix groups compared to the ReSTOR group(all P<0.01). The UNVA of both the ReSTOR and PanOptix groups outperformed the Symfony group(all P<0.01). The defocus curves indicated that in the intermediate vision range(-1.00 to -1.50 D), the Symfony group exhibited better performance than the ReSTOR group(P<0.05); while in the near vision range(-2.50 to -3.50 D), the ReSTOR group was superior to the Symfony group(P<0.05). The PanOptix group demonstrated superior visual acuity in the near vision range(-2.00 to -3.50 D)compared to the Symfony group(P<0.05)and was also superior in the intermediate vision range(-1.00 to -2.00 D)compared to the ReSTOR group(P<0.05). No significant differences were observed in the incidence of glare or halo and binocular interference phenomena among the three groups(P>0.05). The PanOptix and ReSTOR groups exhibited a higher spectacle independence rate compared to the Symfony group(P<0.0167).CONCLUSION: Compared to Symfony extended range of vision IOL and ReSTOR multifocal IOL, PanOptix trifocal IOL offers a balanced approach to distance, intermediate, and near visual acuity, without a high incidence of glare and halo, and with a higher spectacle independence rate. Caution is still advised when considering monocular implantation with presbyopia-correcting IOLs.