Alcon has expanded its intraocular lens (IOL) portfolio with the U.S. launch of Clareon TruPlus.
The latest monofocal and toric IOL is debuting during this weekend’s American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) annual meeting in Washington, DC.
Big news! Where should we start?
We’ll take it from the top with a look at the Clareon brand of IOLs.
Its U.S. origins: The first Clareon lens (the Clareon Aspheric Hydrophobic Acrylic IOL and Clareon Toric) first received FDA approval before launching to the commercial market in 2022.
Since then: The next-generation IOL platform has expanded to include monofocal, trifocal, extended vision, and toric models.
- See here for a look at the lens portfolio.
Also, fun fact: Alcon actually just celebrated surpassing over 175 million IOLs implanted across the globe (spanning its portfolio of Clareon and AcrySof IQ lens families).
Nice! Now let’s talk purpose.
Quite simply: These lenses are intended to replace the natural lens damaged by cataracts (or other ocular conditions) to improve vision at near, intermediate, and far distances.
Among their indications:
- Astigmatism correction
- Presbyopia correction
Click here to view the lenses’ full rundown on indications and warnings / precautions associated with use.
What should we know about their design?
Clareon IOLs feature an aspheric optic and proprietary edge design with a square posterior edge to reduce posterior capsule opacification (PCO) as well as an edge curvature to reduce glare and dysphotopsia.
Importantly: They’re engineered to be glistening-free (or extremely low glistening to reduce such factors as surface haze, subsurface nanoglistenings—and to provide sharp, crisp vision.
See more on the monofocal and toric lens designs.
Talk technology.
Each lens is also equipped with STABLEFORCE Haptics, a specialized, modified-L haptic design.
- What this does: Ensures advanced axial and rotational stability within the capsular bag, reducing decentration and minimizing residual refractive errors (critical for toric IOLs in treating astigmatism).
Check out more details (including their two preloaded IOL delivery systems).
Next up: the Clareon TruPlus.
This enhanced monofocal and toric IOL is designed to offer increased depth of focus (DOF) while maintaining “high-quality distance vision” typically generated from a monofocal lens.
Specifically: The TruPlus is designed to correct pre-existing corneal astigmatism.
Any unique technology not included in prior Clareon lenses?
One proprietary tech worth mentioning: Opti-Balance Technology.
What this offers: Positioned in the center of the lens, this enables a design that boosts light energy to create a slight extended depth of focus (EDOF).
- And with this, the lens still maintains distance image quality and a wide refractive landing zone.
And how does it compare to other monofocal IOLs?
Per Alcon, a few key distinctions set TruPlus’s capabilities apart from the pre-existing Clareon monofocal IOL, including:
- Demonstrating a 3.5-letter improvement in simulated visual acuity (VA) at -1.5 diopters (D; 66 cm).
- Offering a distance image quality surpassing the ISO upper requirement (no specifics were provided)
And how does it stack up against competitor brands?
Compared to Johnson & Johnson’s TECNIS Eyehance monofocal IOL (which has its own new clinical outcomes data out at ASCRS), the lens is reported to offer:
- A higher distance image quality across pupil size ranges and lighting conditions
- A lower glare and halo profile.
To note: These comparisons are based on Alcon data on file, which is not publicly available to confirm.
Nice! Now, what if I have more questions about this?
If you’re attending ASCRS, stop by the Alcon booth (#943) to learn more about the Clareon TruPlus (and the company’s entire IOL portfolio).
To note: Product demonstrations for a number of the company’s innovations will be available Friday through Sunday (April 10-12).
And while on-site, check out the 60+ scientific studies involving Alcon innovations that will be presented—as well as two peer-led discussions the company is hosting.
- See here for more details on the company’s meeting plans.
… and if I can’t make it to ASCRS?
Reach out to the company directly for any and all inquiries.