AIMS—To compare tritan colour contrast sensitivity (CCS), without and with glare, in patients with refractive multifocal intraocular lenses (IOLs) and with monofocal intraocular lenses. METHODS—Tritan CCS was determined (Moorfields Vision System, CH Electronics) in 15 eyes (14 patients, 75.7 (±6.6) years) with a refractive multifocal IOL (Allergan SA 40N) and in 11 eyes (10 patients, 73.7 (±6.4) years) with a monofocal IOL (Allergan SI 40 NB). Measurements were made monocularly under mesopic conditions at a distance of 2 metres from the monitor with best distance refraction plus 0.5D at 0.5, 1, 3, 6, 11.4, and 22.8 cycles per degree (cpd). The test was then repeated for the multifocal IOLs, adding minus 2.5D to the best distance refraction to force the patient to use the near focus. Both lenses were also investigated under glare conditions with the same set-up and using the brightness acuity tester (BAT). RESULTS—The tritan CCS function without glare in multifocal lenses through the distance focus was nearly identical to that through the near focus. The following statistically significant differences were measured: the CCS function without glare for the multifocal lens was worse at 0.5 cpd and 1.0 cpd than that of the monofocal lens. In CCS testing of the multifocal group with glare at 6 cpd, the results through the distance focus were better than the results through the near focus. For the CCS function with glare, the values for the distance focus in the multifocal lens were worse than the values for the monofocal lens at 0.5 cpd and 1 cpd. In CCS testing with glare through the near focus and CCS testing through the monofocal lens, the monofocal lens performed better at 0.5cpd, 1 cpd, 3 cpd, and 6cpd. CONCLUSION—Refractive multifocal intraocular lenses influence tritan CCS function compared to monofocal lenses.
