Presbyopia is the world's number one cause of vision loss with more than 1 billion individuals affected globally. The total global costs associated with correcting near vision impairment due to uncorrected
presbyopia have been estimated at $30.8 billion for a comprehensive eye care model. Both cost to the patient and cost to society, which is greater in low-income countries relative to high-income areas, should be considered. Ultimately, surgical correction of the nonaccommodating dysfunctional natural lens may provide the "cure" for
presbyopia.
Presbyopia-correcting
intraocular lenses (IOLs) may provide better visual acuity and fewer adverse effects. Patients are pursuing
cataract surgery at a younger and younger age. Although this expands the viable pool for lens exchange, this younger group of patients has extreme demands and has a much more scrutinizing frame of reference for comparison (a milder
cataract). Thus, they are at a much higher risk for dissatisfaction and have a much higher chance of noticing potential adverse effects from
multifocal IOLs. Setting appropriate expectations and thoroughly educating patients preoperatively helps create a partnership with the patient and a strong foundation for a successful surgical outcome. A cure for
presbyopia has always been considered the holy grail of ophthalmology. In 2021, ophthalmologists are moving closer to achieving this goal while also creating a safer, more productive, cost-effective
solution to
presbyopia on an individual and on a global level. [J Refract Surg. 2021;37(6 Suppl):S17-S19.].