The Bausch + Lomb enVista and enVista Toric lenses are designed to enhance your vision during cataract surgery. With advanced features for astigmatism correction and a glistening-free design, these lenses ensure clear sight for years to come.
During cataract surgery, our surgeon replaces your eye's cloudy lens with a clear implant. The Bausch + Lomb enVista is an advanced monofocal intraocular lens (IOL) that provides exceptional clarity and stability. This lens is designed to deliver high-quality distance vision and is available in a toric version to correct astigmatism, helping you see the world clearly.
The enVista IOL is a monofocal lens, meaning it is set to provide clear vision at a single focal point, which is typically distance. During your cataract procedure, our surgeon removes your natural, cloudy lens and implants the enVista lens to restore clear sight. It is made of an advanced, durable acrylic material designed for long-term performance and reliability inside your eye.
What makes the enVista IOL unique is its glistening-free material. Glistenings are tiny fluid-filled pockets that can form in some lenses over time, potentially scattering light and reducing vision quality. The enVista was the first FDA-approved lens with clinical data showing zero glistenings in any patient, ensuring the lens remains crystal-clear for years to come and providing you with sharp, high-contrast vision.
The enVista lens features an "aberration-free" aspheric design. This means that unlike some lenses that try to change your eye's optics, the enVista is designed to preserve your cornea's natural curvature. This provides a wonderful balance of sharp image quality with a slightly extended depth of field, which can make vision feel more natural and be more forgiving for intermediate ranges than some other lenses.
Our cataract surgeon values stability to ensure your visual outcome lasts. The enVista IOL has flexible arms, called haptics, that hold it securely in place. This design ensures excellent rotational stability, which is especially critical for the toric version used to correct astigmatism. This stability means your vision remains consistent and predictable long after your surgery is complete.
If your primary goal is to achieve the best possible vision for activities like driving, watching television, or enjoying landscapes, the enVista is an outstanding choice. As a premium monofocal lens, it is engineered to maximize clarity and contrast for distance-focused tasks. Patients who choose enVista are typically happy to wear reading glasses for near tasks in exchange for the highest quality distance sight.
If you have astigmatism, our cataract surgeon may recommend the enVista Toric IOL. This lens corrects your astigmatism at the same time as your cataract removal, reducing or eliminating your need for glasses to see clearly at a distance. Patients with moderate astigmatism who want to enjoy activities like golf or tennis without the hassle of glasses are ideal candidates for the toric version.
If you've had previous eye surgery like LASIK, PRK, or RK, your cornea may have an unusual shape. The enVista's "aberration-free" design is very forgiving in these situations. It doesn't impose a new optical profile on the eye, making it an excellent choice for patients with prior hyperopic LASIK, who should avoid lenses with negative spherical aberration. Our surgeon often recommends it for these "imperfect" eyes.
Some patients worry if their new lens will remain clear for the rest of their life. The enVista offers peace of mind because its material is proven to be glistening-free. This means you can be confident that the lens optic itself will not cloud or develop haze over time. If long-term clarity and avoiding potential issues are important to you, the enVista is a reassuring choice.
For patients with early-stage macular degeneration or mild glaucoma, maximizing visual quality is critical. In these cases, a monofocal lens that provides the best possible contrast and minimizes light scatter is essential. The enVista, with its clear, glistening-free optic, is an ideal choice to maximize the quality of vision that your retina can provide, as it doesn't split light or reduce contrast like a multifocal IOL would.
The enVista offers premium features, like its advanced optics and glistening-free material, within the monofocal lens category. In most cases, the standard non-toric enVista lens is fully covered by Medicare and private insurance as part of your cataract surgery. This makes it a great option for patients who value exceptional quality but do not want to pay out-of-pocket for a multifocal or EDOF lens.
If your main goal is to be free from glasses for both distance and near vision, the monofocal enVista may not be the best fit. You will almost certainly need reading glasses for up-close tasks like reading a book or your phone. For the greatest independence from glasses, our surgeon might discuss multifocal or Extended Depth of Focus (EDOF) lenses, though these involve their own set of compromises.
The enVista IOL is a clear lens and does not have a yellow tint to filter blue light. Some patients prefer a blue-light filtering lens, like the Alcon AcrySof IQ, under the belief that it may offer additional protection to the retina. If you feel strongly about having this feature, our cataract surgeon would recommend a different lens to meet your preference.
The enVista Toric lens is highly effective for a wide range of astigmatism. However, for patients with very high or irregular astigmatism, a toric IOL alone may not be able to provide full correction. In these rare cases, our cataract surgeon may discuss additional procedures or explain that you will likely still need glasses to achieve your sharpest possible vision after surgery.
Any patient who expects a monofocal lens to provide perfect vision at all distances without glasses may be disappointed. The enVista is designed to provide excellent quality vision at one set focal point, typically for distance. It is important to understand and accept that needing reading glasses for near tasks is a normal and expected outcome with this type of lens.
Astigmatism is a common condition where the cornea, the front surface of the eye, is shaped more like a football than a basketball. This irregular curvature causes light to focus unevenly, resulting in blurred or distorted vision at all distances. Our cataract surgeon will measure your astigmatism precisely to determine if you need a toric lens.
The standard, non-toric enVista IOL is designed for patients who have little to no astigmatism. It corrects spherical refractive errors like nearsightedness or farsightedness to give you excellent distance vision. However, it does not correct pre-existing astigmatism, so if you have this condition and receive a non-toric lens, you will still need glasses to correct the blur from your astigmatism.
For patients with significant astigmatism, our cataract surgeon recommends the enVista Toric IOL. This lens has astigmatism correction built directly into its optic. During surgery, the surgeon carefully rotates the lens to align with the exact angle of your astigmatism, effectively neutralizing the cornea's irregular shape and providing clear distance vision without glasses.
For a toric lens to work effectively, it must remain in its precise orientation. The enVista Toric has an exceptionally stable design. In FDA clinical trials, 94.4% of these lenses stayed within 5 degrees of their intended position six months after surgery. This high level of stability means your astigmatism correction remains effective, and your vision stays consistently clear over the long term.
A key advantage of the enVista Toric is its availability in a wide range of powers, including those that can correct low levels of astigmatism. It offers a very low cylinder power option, allowing our cataract surgeon to correct astigmatism down to less than one diopter at the corneal plane, a feature that was once unique to this lens platform. This allows our cataract surgeon to fine-tune the vision of patients with even mild astigmatism, something not all toric lens brands can accomplish.
Take the first step towards clearer vision by scheduling a consultation with a top optometrist or ophthalmologist today! Whether you’re considering the enVista or enVista Toric lens, our expert practitioners can provide personalized care tailored to your needs.
The Alcon AcrySof IQ is a widely used lens, but it has a known history of developing glistenings over time. In contrast, the enVista material is proven to be completely glistening-free. Additionally, the AcrySof IQ has a yellow tint to filter blue light, while the enVista is clear, providing true color perception. Optically, enVista's aberration-neutral design is more forgiving if not perfectly centered compared to AcrySof's negative aberration optic.
Both the Tecnis and enVista lenses are high-clarity, aspheric IOLs with very low rates of glistenings. The main difference is their optical design. The Tecnis lens is designed to cancel out all corneal aberration for exceptionally sharp vision under ideal conditions. The enVista's aberration-neutral design preserves the cornea's natural optics, which can provide a slightly more forgiving range of focus and better performance if the lens is slightly decentered.
The Zeiss CT LUCIA is quite similar to the enVista in its philosophy. Both are made from modern, glistening-free hydrophobic acrylic materials and aim for a balance of image quality and depth of focus. A minor difference is that the enVista toric lens offers more options for correcting very low amounts of astigmatism, which may not be available with the Lucia toric in the U.S.
Our cataract surgeons often choose the enVista IOL for its combination of standout features. We have confidence in its proven, glistening-free material that ensures long-term clarity for our patients. Furthermore, its forgiving aberration-neutral optic is particularly beneficial for patients whose eyes are not "average," such as those who have had previous LASIK surgery, where it can provide a superior quality of vision.
When the enVista IOL was approved by the FDA, it was granted a unique labeling claim. Based on its clinical trial, where not a single case of glistenings was observed, the FDA allows it to be labeled as the only lens with data stating "no glistenings of any grade were reported for any subject." This government-validated claim gives our team and our patients incredible confidence in the lens's long-term clarity.
The enVista lens consistently delivers outstanding vision. In a large post-approval study conducted in Europe and Asia, 97.8% of patients achieved best-corrected distance vision of 20/40 or better. This is the visual acuity level required to pass a driving test in most states. Furthermore, 62.2% of eyes achieved near-perfect 20/20 vision, demonstrating the high-quality outcomes patients can expect.
A common concern after cataract surgery is the development of a hazy film behind the lens, called posterior capsule opacification (PCO). The enVista has a sharp, 360-degree square edge designed to create a barrier against the cells that cause PCO. Clinical data supports its effectiveness, with one study reporting that only about 1% of patients needed a follow-up laser procedure for PCO in the first year.
The enVista Toric model has demonstrated exceptional performance in correcting astigmatism. In its FDA pivotal study, the lens showed excellent rotational stability, with 94.4% of lenses remaining within 5 degrees of their intended axis. This stability led to great visual results, with 83% of patients achieving uncorrected distance vision of 20/25 or better, confirming its effectiveness at providing spectacle independence for distance.
Yes, you will most likely need reading glasses for near activities. The enVista is a monofocal lens, which our cataract surgeon typically sets for clear distance vision. This allows you to see things far away, like road signs and TV, with excellent clarity. For close-up tasks like reading small print, you will need the help of over-the-counter or prescription reading glasses, which is the normal trade-off for any standard monofocal IOL.
The standard, non-toric enVista lens is typically fully covered by Medicare and most private insurance plans as part of your medically necessary cataract surgery. However, if you and our cataract surgeon decide the enVista Toric is right for you, there is usually an additional out-of-pocket cost. This fee covers the advanced feature of astigmatism correction, which insurance plans consider a refractive enhancement, not a medical necessity.
The enVista lens itself is designed to last a lifetime and will not get cloudy. Its unique material is proven to be free of glistenings, the micro-vacuoles that can cause haziness in other lenses. While the lens implant remains clear, the natural membrane behind it can sometimes become hazy over time (a condition called PCO). This is easily, quickly, and painlessly corrected with a one-time in-office laser procedure. The lens itself does not need to be replaced.
The enVista IOL is extremely safe and carries the same risks as any other IOL used in modern cataract surgery, with no unique complications. In fact, its glistening-free design helps avoid the potential side effect of glittery spots that some patients with other lenses report. A small number of patients with any square-edge lens may notice a shadow or halo (dysphotopsia), but this is uncommon and typically fades over time as your brain adapts.
The primary differences are its guaranteed clarity and its forgiving optical design. The enVista is the only lens with an FDA-supported claim of having zero glistenings, ensuring it remains crystal-clear inside the eye. Additionally, its "aberration-neutral" optic preserves your eye's natural focus, providing a great balance of sharp vision and depth of field that is particularly effective in eyes that have had prior refractive surgery.
Take the first step towards clearer vision by scheduling a consultation with a top optometrist or ophthalmologist today! Whether you’re considering the enVista or enVista Toric lens, our expert practitioners can provide personalized care tailored to your needs.
Revitalize your vision with the enVista and enVista Toric lenses, offering exceptional clarity and effective astigmatism correction during cataract surgery.
