We created three pseudophakic eye models with an aberration correcting intraocular lens (IOL): one with a corneal SAO implant (M1), a second one with a SAO intraocular lens (M2) and a third one with a conventional intraocular lens of the same optical design but without SAO (M0). Defocus curves were created by varying the focal length of a thin lens in front of the eye – which mimics the clinical assessment of defocus curves.
With a Strehl ratio threshold of 0.05, the reference design M0 provided a maximum defocus range of approximately 1.7 D (with a 2.0 mm pupil) whereas both pinhole implants (M1 and M2) showed a defocus range up to 3.0 and 3.3 D, respectively. With large natural pupil diameter, where light passes outside the SAO aperture, the defocus range drops to 0.8 D/0.7 D for M1 and M2 compared to 0.7 D with M0.
The SAO intraocular lens showed a similar defocus range as the SAO corneal inlay. Both concepts have the potential of increasing depth of focus compared to a conventional intraocular lens. In case of large physiological pupil diameters these advantages of SAO implants may be lost.