Wearing glasses can be a nuisance in everyday life.
Therefore, more and more patients with poor eyesight are deciding to correct their vision problems with laser treatment.
However, not every patient is suitable for such a procedure.
Especially in cases of presbyopia and severe visual impairments, the insertion of a trifocal lens is now the method of choice.
The trifocal multifocal lens is one of the latest generation of eye lenses.
| Method | Trifocal lenses |
| Usage | Presbyopia, severe farsightedness, cataracts |
| Procedure | Replacement of the body’s own lens with high-quality artificial lenses, which have 3 focal points: near, far, middle distance |
| Duration | Approx. 15-20 minutes per eye, minimum stay 4 nights |
| Cost | From 3500 euros for both eyes |
What is a trifocal lens?
A trifocal lens is an artificial lens for the eyes that has three focal points. These are as follows:
- Focal point 40cm
- Focal point 60cm – 90cm
- Focal point in the distance
Such a lens is intended to compensate for presbyopia in combination with long-sightedness or short-sightedness. It is the next generation and a further development of multifocal lenses, which according to the latest studies achieves an improvement in visual performance of up to 80%. Multifocal lenses have so far only achieved around 40 to 50% of this performance.
What is the difference between a trifocal lens and conventional artificial lenses?
There are now three different types of artificial lenses that can be inserted into the eye. These differ in terms of their areas of application and how they work.
Monofocal lens
This lens is used as a health insurance benefit mainly when cataracts are diagnosed. It only has one focal point and is therefore only set up for distance vision. Patients therefore usually have to continue wearing visual aids after the operation.
Bifocal lens
The bifocal lens has two focal points and thus enables both near and far vision. The effect is comparable to the design of glasses that enable both near and far vision. Depending on the field of vision, the eye captures the image with the respective focal point; the change between near and far vision takes place smoothly and automatically via the image processing center in the brain. It can take a long time for the patient to get used to the bifocal lens.
Trifocal lens
This new type of lens is equipped with three focal points. In addition to the near field (40 cm in front of the eye) and the far field (infinity), the trifocal lens has a focal point for the intermediate field at about 80 cm in front of the eye. By inserting this lens, vision remains stable for life. In addition, the risk of the patient developing cataracts is averted, because the artificial lens cannot become cloudy.
Application: Who are trifocal lenses suitable for?
Trifocal lenses were developed specifically for people who no longer want to be dependent on visual aids, or only want to be dependent on them to a limited extent. As we get older, the lens in the eye loses its elasticity. It then has more and more difficulty adjusting to seeing at different distances. If you want to continue to see well as you get older without traditional reading glasses, you are well advised to use a trifocal lens. People with very high levels of visual impairment also benefit from this new development.
Why not just laser treatment instead of trifocal lenses?
Laser treatment is now a very innovative and far-reaching method for the long-term treatment of visual defects and visual disorders. But laser eye surgery also reaches its limits for certain visual defects and eye diseases or is not the treatment of choice. In these cases, lens implantation with trifocal lenses is an ideal alternative.
A trifocal lens can be used for the following diagnoses:
- Presbyopia
- Cataracts
- High visual impairment with a very thin cornea
- High visual impairment with a very severely curved cornea
Trifocal lenses are used with the aim of enabling the patient to permanently do without visual aids and to see clearly at close and long distances
Trifocal lenses for multiple visual defects Lens implantation can also be the right decision if a patient has several visual defects at the same time.
Am I suitable for the use of trifocal lenses?
This depends on a variety of factors, particularly your current life situation. What kind of work do you do, what do you do in your free time and what is the state of health of your eyes?
These questions can be clarified in a discussion with your eye specialist. A more in-depth examination provides the best basis for deciding whether you want to have trifocal lenses fitted. Your ophthalmologist can also give you a realistic assessment of the success of the treatment.
Advantages: Why should I get a trifocal lens?
The trifocal lens has a decisive advantage over previous bifocal lenses. It not only ensures clear vision at close and long distances, but also at medium distances. This is particularly beneficial for people who work a lot on the computer during the day and want to do without reading glasses. But the trifocal lens also ensures that you can clearly see the person you are talking to in everyday life during a conversation at a medium distance of between 50 and 150 cm. Driving and reading price labels in the supermarket are also made easier by such an artificial lens.
Procedure: How the trifocal lens is inserted into the eye
The operation is carried out in three small steps that are completely painless for the patient. It is performed under local anesthesia.
Preliminary and informational interview
During the initial examination, it will be checked whether you meet the requirements for lens implantation. The doctor can give you a realistic assessment of the result. On the day of the operation, you will come to the clinic and be prepared for the procedure. You will receive a local anesthetic.
Removing your own lens
In order for the trifocal lens to be inserted, the body’s own lens is removed with special instruments.
Inserting the trifocal lens
In the next step, the artificial lens is inserted into the eye. It is folded and inserted through a minimally invasive channel into the capsular bag of the eye. It can remain there permanently.
Alternative surgical technique: Additional lens implantation (phakic lenses)
An additional lens implantation can be performed, particularly in younger patients under 40 who suffer from severe visual impairment. The phakic lens is placed either in front of or behind the iris without removing the body’s own lens. The vision defect of the body’s own lens is supposed to be compensated for by the artificial lens.
How long does a lens replacement take?
The operation is performed under local anesthesia on an outpatient basis. You can expect the operation to take 10 to 15 minutes per eye. If trifocal lenses are to be inserted in both eyes, the operation will take place between 1 and 3 days apart.
Risks & healing time: What do I need to consider after the procedure?
Although trifocal lenses are relatively new, they have now been well tested in clinical use. Therefore, the procedure of lens implantation with trifocal lenses can be classified as very safe.
What risks can occur when using trifocal lenses?
The minimally invasive surgical method means that the risk of infection can be kept very low. If the procedure is carried out by an experienced doctor, there is hardly any risk of serious side effects. The ophthalmological material from which the artificial lens is made is neutral to the body. This means that the body does not reject the lens. In rare cases, optical side effects such as glare or reduced contrast vision can occur. To keep the risk of side effects low, you should strictly follow the doctor’s instructions regarding the use of medication and eye drops.
When is full visual acuity achieved after the procedure?
How quickly the maximum achievable visual acuity is achieved depends on how quickly the brain gets used to the new way of seeing. Depending on the situation, it can take up to 14 days or even longer.
Costs: How much does lens implantation with trifocal lenses cost?
The cost of inserting trifocal lenses is on average slightly higher than the cost of laser treatment. In most German eye clinics, the cost starts at 3,000 euros per eye. Specifically, it depends on whether only one or both eyes are operated on and where the procedure is performed. There are significant price differences between clinics, particularly German clinics, and clinics abroad.
Are trifocal lenses covered by health insurance?
The health insurance companies in Germany, Austria and Switzerland only cover the costs of inserting monofocal lenses. Trifocal lenses are much better lenses, but are also correspondingly more expensive and are excluded from the list of services. Patients have to pay for the procedure themselves. This makes it all the more worthwhile to look for ways to save money on lens transplantation without sacrificing the high quality standards of such a procedure.
Cost-effective lens implantations with Health Travels
There are clinics in Turkey that specialize in lens implantation. Due to the favorable local cost structure, operations in this area can be offered at much better conditions.
Who can I contact if I want to have trifocal lenses inserted in Turkey?
Health Travels, the agency for health travel based in Frankfurt am Main and Istanbul, has been organizing eye operations in Istanbul and Izmir for many years. We are happy to put you in touch with the local eye specialists and take care of the entire organization and on-site support. The clinics carrying out the operations have the best possible technical infrastructure and are ISO certified. Likewise, only very experienced surgeons and trained clinic staff are employed here.
How much do I save with a lens transplant in Turkey?
How much money you save in an eye clinic in Turkey depends on various factors. In general, you can expect to save up to 50% of the costs of an operation in Turkey. In addition, you will also save taxes with such a procedure. You can claim the lens implantation performed abroad as an extraordinary expense in your tax return.
Conclusion: Lens transplantation with trifocal lenses
Trifocal lenses are now the highest standard in the field of lens transplantation. A major advantage of these artificial lenses is that they can compensate not only for near and far vision but also for vision at medium distances. Unfortunately, the costs for such an operation are not yet covered by health insurance companies. This makes it all the more worthwhile to compare the offers of different clinics. With Health Travels, you can save up to 50% of the surgical costs and combine lens implantation with trifocal lenses with a trip to Turkey.