Vivity Lens Review: How Does the Vivity IOL Compare to Other Lenses?
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The Vivity IOL (Intraocular Lens) is a cutting-edge lens used primarily in cataract surgery and refractive lens exchange (RLE) to improve vision. It is a premium lens designed to provide a broader range of vision compared to traditional monofocal lenses, which only focus at one distance.
Discover how the Vivity compares to other premium lens options, as well as when a monofocal lens might be preferred.
Table of Contents
- AcrySof IQ Vivity Lens Review
- Vivity Toric IOL
- Pros and Cons of the Vivity Lens
- Vivity IOL vs. Other Lenses
- Vivity Lens Price
You deserve clear vision. We can help.
The board-certified surgeons at NVISION have performed over 2.5 million procedures. Your journey to better vision starts here.
AcrySof IQ Vivity Lens Review
The Vivity lens is an extended depth of focus (EDOF) IOL. The lens has one focal point, but utilizes light-manipulating technology to elongate it. Like a multifocal iol, it provides a wide range of clear vision, but with smoother transition between ranges.
What sets the Vivity IOL apart from other EDOF models is the unique technology this model uses, and the enhanced outcomes it offers as a result.
X-WAVE Technology
The Vivity IOL is the first and only EDOF IOL to introduce wavefront-shaping technology or “X-WAVE”. Older EDOF lenses provide good visual outcomes, with the tradeoff of some visual disturbances like glare and halo, and diminished performance in dim lighting. The Vivity’s X-Wave technology allows the lens to make use of all the light that passes through it, enhancing vision quality even in dim lighting conditions, and providing high-quality vision outcomes.
Vision Outcomes
- Distance and Intermediate Vision: Patients typically achieve excellent distance vision (often better than 20/25) and good intermediate vision, making it suitable for activities like using a computer.
- Near Vision: While the Vivity IOL provides functional near vision, some patients may still require reading glasses for very small text or detailed tasks. However, the lens significantly reduces the need for glasses in daily life for most other activities.
Patient Experience
- Visual Disturbances: One of the standout features of the Vivity IOL is its low incidence of visual disturbances post-surgery. Reports indicate minimal complaints of glare, halos, or starbursts—issues commonly associated with other EDOF lenses. In fact, many users find their visual experience comparable to that of monofocal lenses (widely considered the best in terms of quality).
- Patient Satisfaction: A significant majority of patients (around 93%) would recommend the Vivity IOL to others. Most report improved quality of life post-surgery due to reduced dependence on glasses for most everyday activities.
Light-Filtering Properties
Vivity IOLs are available with two light-filtering properties that enhance visual quality and protect the eyes.
- Ultraviolet (UV) Protection: The Vivity IOL includes built-in protection against harmful ultraviolet light, helping to maintain overall eye health and reducing sensitivity to daylight.
- Blue Light Filtering: The lens also filters blue light, which is emitted by digital screens and can be harmful over prolonged exposure.Blue light filtering provides better eye comfort and less eye strain when viewing electronic device screens.
Acrysof IQ Vivity Toric Lens
The Toric lens is simply a version of the Vivity lens that can also correct astigmatism, a condition caused by uneven shape of the lens or cornea. Astigmatism causes blurry vision at all distances. A toric IOL has a special shape that compensates for this unevenness, effectively correcting the blurriness it causes.
Vivity Lens Pros and Cons
The Vivity lens is widely considered a game changer on the IOL market, with few downsides.
Pros:
- Extended vision range compared to standard monofocal IOLs
- Cuts down on visual light-based disturbances when compared to other EDOF lenses
- Enables arm’s length and even up-close vision clarity
- Superior to other EDOF lenses in low-light conditions such as driving at night
- Toric Vivity model also corrects for astigmatism
- Recommended for people with physically active lifestyles
- Ideal for people who spend most of their day using electronic screens
Cons:
- May not be suitable for patients with a history of eye infections or autoimmune conditions
- Not suitable for patients with irregular corneas or eye diseases like macular degeneration or retinal scarring.
- More costly than many other IOL models, both basic and premium.
Some surgeons report mixing IOL brands, e.g., implanting a Vivity in one eye and a PanOptix in the other, to give the patient the widest possible range of vision while trying to mitigate the downsides of each.
You deserve clear vision. We can help.
The board-certified surgeons at NVISION have performed over 2.5 million procedures. Your journey to better vision starts here.
Vivity IOL vs Other Lenses
In the modern market for premium IOLs, the Alcon Vivity ranks in the top four most popular brands, along with the Alcon PanOptix, the Tecnis Synergy, and the SymfonyOptiBlue. All lenses have their own strengths and weaknesses; choice may come down to patient preference and health considerations. In some instances, a monofocal lens might be preferable over premium lenses, Vivity or otherwise.
Vivity Lens vs Monofocal IOLs
Monofocal lenses, as their name implies, have one focal point with clear vision. Vision outside this point will be blurry. However, the lens offers exceptional clarity at the designated focal point. People usually set their monofocals for distance vision and will use glasses to see clearly at intermediate and distance.
In some cases, patients can opt for a monovision procedure,where one eye is adjusted for close vision and the other for far-away. Not all people are comfortable with monovision, as it requires the brain to adjust to each eye having a different focus.
Patients with irregular corneas or eye diseases like macular degeneration or retinal scarring are better off with a monofocal IOL due to health concerns.
Vivity Lens vs Light Adjustable Lenses
Light-adjustable lenses are a premium version of the monofocal lens which is designed to be customized after surgery. With this lens, you don’t have to decide on the preferred setting prior to surgery. Instead, you can adjust it over a series of light treatments and figure out the best setting based on your personal, lived experience.
Light-adjustable lenses have a few limitations and downsides:
- Patientsare required to wear UV-blocking glasses at all times between surgery and the final adjustment session
- Patients have to return for 3-5 light treatment sessions to adjust and then lock in the lens power
- LALs are still monofocal
- Light treatments and the premium nature of the lens make the procedure significantly more expensive
While Vivity IOLs are a costly premium brand as well, they come with multifocal capabilities “out of the box” If a patient wants a wide range of vision without monovision, they are better suited to a Vivity lens than an LAL.
Vivity Lens vs Eyhance IOL
The Eyhance is a premium monofocal IOL which has some extended depth of focus in the central 1 MM of its optic area. While not an EDOF lens, the Eyhance provides both excellent distance vision and good intermediate vision, making it more capable than a traditional monofocal. However, it’s less powerful than the Vivity and other EDOF models.
Like early EDOF models, the Eyhance also uses a diffractive design. As mentioned, this technology is known to cause visual distortions, particularly under low-light conditions. By contrast, the Vivity’s unique non-diffractive technology has significantly reduced such disturbances for patients.
Vivity Lens vs PanOptix
The Clareon PanOptix IOL is a trifocal IOL. This lens uses multifocal technology, meaning it provides a wide range of clear vision by creating focal points at different distances – near, intermediate and far. The trifocal effect does cause patients to experience more glare and halo effects in low light. Vivity IOLs have less issue with low light levels.
However, patients reported high satisfaction in near-equal numbers for both Vivity and PanOptix, and PanOptix recipients were even more likely to remain independent of glasses than the Vivity recipients. On the whole, PanOptix and Vivity are near-equivalent in popularity. The main difference comes down to:
- PanOptix is better for heavy readers or those needing more close-up vision
- Vivity is better for eliminating light distortions like glare, halo and starburst
Vivity Lens vs Crystalens
The Crystalens (and its toric-correcting version, the Trulign toric) is the first and so far only accommodating IOL. This means that the design of the lens works with your eye muscles to adjust focus the way your natural lenses do,a process known as accommodation. The Crystalens is often touted as the “state of the art” premium IOL, and patients report high satisfaction rates with it. Like the Vivity, it’s meant to reduce glare, halo and other visual disturbances associated with premium IOLs.
One problem with the crystalens is that its mechanism relies heavily on the ciliary muscles and the modules (the eye structures responsible for focusing) being in healthy enough shape. If they are not, the lens will not function as expected. The Vivity lens uses its own light-manipulating technology to achieve clear focus across the vision range without involving these eye structures, so performance is more reliable.
Compared to the Vivity lens, the Crystalens provides less range of clear vision even if the ciliary muscle and zonules are in good shape.
Vivity Lens vs Symfony
The Symfony IOL was the first approved EDOF lens, and is produced by J&J Vision. The Symfony came out earlier than other IOLs, and its technology is slightly outdated. However, it is also less expensive than other premium IOLs.
Compared to the Vivity IOL, patients with the Symfony IOL have similar results except for needing glasses for near vision at a higher rate, and having more light distortion effects since the Symfony is made with a diffractive design.
Vivity Lens vs Synergy
The Synergy IOL combines EDOF and multifocal technology, resulting in a hybrid model with extended range of vision capabilities and smooth transitions.This lens provides better near focus than other premium models, which is particularly advantageous for users who do a lot of reading or use digital devices more extensively.
Complaints about the Synergy lens focus mainly on starburst and halo, particularly in low-light conditions. Glare is another common complaint. If a patient wants a lens with an extended depth of focus, but is concerned about visual disturbances, they might prefer the Vivity IOL. Depending on the type of activities you are most concerned about, you might consider one lens over the other: the Vivity is a better fit for night driving, while the Synergy is better for reading or near vision work.
Vivity Lens Price
The cost of the Vivity lens in the United States typically ranges from $2,500 to $3,200 per eye. The price will vary depending on various factors such as the surgeon’s fees and the surgical facility. While more expensive than less advanced models, the Vivity’s higher price tag is justified by its high quality vision outcomes and high patient satisfaction.
References
- AcrySof IQ Vivity Extended Vision Intraocular Lens (IOL) (Model DFT015), AcrySof IQ Vivity Toric Extended Vision IOLs (DFT315, DFT415, DFT515), AcyrSof IQ Vivity Extended Vision UV Absorbing IOL (DAT015), and AcrySof IQ Vivity Toric Extended Vision UV Absorbing IOLs (DAT315, DAT415, DAT515) – P930014/S126. (March 2020). U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
- Extended Depth of Focus IOLs. (September 2020). American Academy Ophthalmology (AAO).
- Alcon Canada Introduces AcrySof IQ Vivity Presbyopia-Correcting IOL. (November 2020). Eyewire.
- Matching the Patient to the Intraocular Lens. (August 2020). American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) Journal.
- An IOL to Change the Cataract Surgery Paradigm. (July 2020). Insight.
- In the Pipeline. (April 2020). Cataract and Refractive Surgery Today (CRST).
- Clareon Collection IOLs (MyAlconProfessionals)
- Acrysof IQ Monofocal and Toric IOLs (MyAlconProfessionals)
- Clareon Vivity Extended Vision IOL (MyAlconProfessionals)
- Light Adjustable Intraocular Lenses (American Academy of Ophthalmology)
- Physicians sort out pros and cons of several new IOLs on the market (Ophthalmology Times)
- The Vivity Extended Range of Vision IOL vs the PanOptix Trifocal, ReStor 2.5 Active Focus and ReStor 3.0 Multifocal Lenses: A Comparison of Patient Satisfaction, Visual Disturbances, and Spectacle Independence (National Library of Medicine)
- PanOptix or Vivity: Choosing the Right IOL for Your Patients (MillennialEye)
- Crystalens: The First Accommodating Intraocular Lens Implant (University of Rochester Medical Center)
- BLOG: The IOL sorting hat (Healio)
- E-Survey: New IOLs Begin To Take Root (Review of Ophthalmology)
- Survey: Surgeons Weigh in on IOLs (Review of Ophthalmology)
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