Purpose: The imaging quality provided by a piggyback integrated by a monofocal intraocular lens (IOL) + a bifocal IOL of zero power and +3.75 diopters of addition is compared with the optics quality of a simple multifocal IOL of the same power and addition.
Methods: The imaging quality was evaluated by determining the modulation transfer function (MTF), using an artificial eye simulating in vivo conditions of the anterior chamber, including an artificial cornea and a wet cell containing physiologic solution where the IOL was positioned. The MTFs of the bifocal piggyback for near and distance vision were measured, with pupil diameters of 3 and 5 mm, and compared with the MTFs of an equivalent power of ReSTOR and TECNIS multifocal IOLs measured under the same conditions.
Results: The MTFs for distance and near focus of the bifocal piggyback are similar to the MTFs of the ReSTOR and TECNIS multifocal IOLs with the two diameters of pupil. A more accurate comparison, values of average modulation, and Strehl ratio show a greater similitude with ReSTOR than with TECNIS.
Conclusions: The bifocal piggyback system provides a similar imaging quality to that obtained with a ReSTOR multifocal IOL and, like the ReSTOR, provides better performance in distance vision than in near vision, whereas the TECNIS multifocal IOL provides the best performance.