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Monofocal and Multifocal Lens Surgery

Choosing the right lens for your Cataract or Lens Replacement Surgery

Monofocal and multifocal lenses provide different ranges of focus. A monofocal lens is designed around one main focal distance, while a multifocal lens aims to reduce dependence on glasses across multiple distances.

Neither is automatically the better option. The right choice depends on your eye health, prescription, lifestyle and what matters most to you visually, and our team will help you understand the benefits and trade-offs of each suitable option before a decision is made.

Lens choice can affect the overall cost of your treatment. We will confirm your consultation fee and full treatment quote before you decide whether to proceed.

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LENS DESIGNS

2

Monofocal and multifocal

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World-Renowned Surgeons

  • Monofocal and Multifocal Lens Replacement

    From £3,247.50 per eye

    or from £136 per month

    Lens options that restore both distance and near vision, reducing reliance on glasses.

    • Pre-operative consultation with ophthalmic surgeon
    • Advanced diagnostic scan
    • Lens Replacement Surgery
    • Eye care drops
    • Post-operative appointment with refractive optometrist

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What are monofocal and multifocal lenses?

An intraocular lens is a clear artificial lens placed inside the eye after the natural lens has been removed.

The same type of lens implant can be used for Cataract Surgery or Lens Replacement Surgery. What differs is why the natural lens is being replaced and which lens design best matches your visual needs.

With Cataract Surgery, the natural lens is removed because it has become cloudy. With Lens Replacement Surgery, the lens may be removed primarily to correct vision and address age-related focusing changes before a significant cataract has developed.

Clinician in a face mask explaining lens replacement surgery to a patient

Lens options chosen around your eyes

Lens options are selected around your eyes, lifestyle and visual priorities, not by choosing the most advanced design.

Your lens is chosen around your eye health, prescription, lifestyle and visual priorities. Choosing a lens is part of your Cataract or Lens Replacement Surgery rather than a separate procedure, and your consultation confirms both the lens and the full quote before you decide whether to proceed.

Woman having an eye exam with a slit lamp at Optilase Eye Clinic

What are monofocal and multifocal lenses?

One focal point

Monofocal lenses

A monofocal IOL provides one main focal point. It is often set for clear distance vision, with reading glasses used for close work. A monofocal lens can also be targeted differently depending on your visual needs and treatment plan.

More than one range

Multifocal lenses

A multifocal IOL is designed to provide more than one range of focus, helping reduce dependence on glasses for activities at different distances. For some patients this optical design can cause glare and halos around lights, so the benefits are weighed against the trade-offs rather than assuming multifocal means better.

How is your chosen lens fitted?

The lens is fitted as part of your Cataract Surgery or Lens Replacement Surgery. The underlying surgical approach is broadly the same whether a monofocal or multifocal implant is selected.

  • 01

    The eye is prepared

    Local anaesthetic is used to numb the eye before surgery. You are usually awake during the procedure.

  • 02

    The natural lens is removed

    A small opening is made in the eye and the natural lens is carefully removed.

  • 03

    Your chosen IOL is inserted

    The selected monofocal or multifocal artificial lens is placed inside the eye, in the position previously occupied by the natural lens.

  • 04

    Recovery begins

    The small opening usually seals without stitches. You return home on the same day with aftercare instructions and follow-up arrangements.

Your lens consultation

Lens selection is about more than deciding how many distances you would like to see without glasses. Your consultation considers your eye health, prescription, visual priorities and tolerance for potential optical side effects before recommending any lens, alongside existing eye conditions, astigmatism and the level of spectacle independence you want. Your assessment may include:

  • Detailed assessment of your vision, prescription and overall eye health
  • Assessment of your cornea and retina
  • Discussion of your work, hobbies and everyday visual demands
  • Clear expected outcomes, including which activities may still require glasses
  • Discussion of potential glare, halos or other visual effects
  • Measurements used to calculate the appropriate lens power
  • Explanation of the lens options suitable for your eyes
  • Time to ask questions before making a decision

This consultation is not free of charge. We will confirm the consultation fee when you book.

Which lens may be suitable for you?

No single lens design is best for everyone.

A monofocal lens may suit you if

Your work or hobbies place a high priority on sharp distance vision, such as professional driving, golf, sailing or tennis. A monofocal lens is designed to provide clear distance vision, and reading glasses are typically still needed for close work.

A multifocal lens may suit you if

Reducing dependence on glasses across several distances is a high priority and your eyes are suitable for a multifocal design. You should also be comfortable with the possibility of visual effects such as halos or glare, particularly around point sources of light.

Multifocal lenses do not suit every patient, which is why individual assessment matters. Your surgeon will consider your eye health, visual needs and whether another lens design may be more appropriate. No lens design can guarantee complete freedom from glasses for every activity.

Multifocal lenses: benefits and trade-offs

Choosing between lens types involves balancing range of vision, dependence on glasses and quality of vision. Both sides are worth hearing before you decide.

What a multifocal lens can offer

  • Reduced dependence on glasses across near, intermediate and distance activities
  • Less reliance on glasses for everyday tasks such as reading and screen work
  • A wider range of useful vision than a single focal point provides

What to weigh against it

  • A minority of patients notice glare or halos, particularly at night
  • May suit you less if you do a lot of night driving or work in low light
  • May suit you less if you are very sensitive to small visual imperfections
  • An adaptation period is needed while your visual system adjusts

A monofocal lens offers a well-established way to provide clear distance vision, with the lowest chance of these optical side effects, although reading or intermediate glasses may still be required.

Recovery and risks

Your vision may initially be blurred or fluctuate while the eye heals, and your clinical team will give you personalised guidance on drops, driving, work and normal activities.

Adapting to your new lens

With a monofocal lens, the main adjustment is often becoming accustomed to the selected focal distance and using glasses where needed.

With a multifocal lens, your visual system may also need time to adapt to a lens that provides more than one range of focus. Glare, halos or other light-related effects may be noticeable during this period, and they do not affect every patient in the same way.

Clinician and patient reviewing documents before lens replacement surgery

Risks and realistic expectations

Monofocal and multifocal lenses are both established intraocular lens options, but no lens can guarantee complete freedom from glasses or a particular visual outcome.

Even with careful measurements, some patients may still require glasses or further correction after surgery. The underlying surgical risks are explained as part of your Cataract or Lens Replacement consultation, and your surgeon will also discuss any risks or visual compromises specifically associated with the lens design recommended for you.

Monofocal vs multifocal lenses: what is the difference?

The main difference is how many focal ranges the lens is designed to provide.

A monofocal lens has one main focal point. It may be an appropriate choice if you are comfortable wearing glasses for reading and prioritise distance vision independent of glasses.

A multifocal lens aims to provide useful vision across several distances and reduce overall dependence on glasses. The trade-off is that some patients experience more visual effects such as glare or halos.

Neither option is universally better. Your surgeon will explain the lens options suitable for your eyes, and the decision should reflect how much you value glasses independence, how often you drive at night, and which distances matter most day to day.

Smiling woman during an eye exam on an iDesign diagnostic machine

Lens technology and treatment planning

Your replacement lens is selected using detailed measurements taken before surgery. These help calculate the focusing power required and allow your clinical team to determine which available lens design may be appropriate.

Premium IOLs used at Optilase can also incorporate astigmatism correction, using a toric design where suitable. Toric technology can be combined with different types of lens implant depending on your needs.

Not every lens design is appropriate for every eye, so your treatment plan should be based on your clinical measurements and visual priorities, not on a product name or the assumption that the most complex option is best.

If you are considering Lens Replacement Surgery because of age-related difficulty focusing at close distances, you can also read more about presbyopia.

Two men on a sofa discussing eye exam results at Optilase

Where your lens choice fits

Choosing a lens is part of a wider procedure rather than a treatment on its own. Both routes use the same lens options and the same surgical technique.

  • Smiling older woman with short grey hair and round glasses

    Cataract Surgery

    Cataract Surgery removes a cloudy natural lens and replaces it with a clear intraocular lens (IOL), restoring vision affected by cataracts.

    View treatment
  • Two people reviewing eye exam results before laser eye surgery

    Lens Replacement Surgery

    Lens Replacement and Phakic IOLs work within the eye rather than on its surface. Lens Replacement typically suits ages 40–65 experiencing presbyopia, while Phakic IOLs suit higher prescriptions or thinner corneas not suited to laser.

    View treatment

Meet our surgeons

Our surgeons are selected not only for their exceptional surgical skill but also for their commitment to patient safety and outcomes. Each surgeon at Optilase is highly qualified and experienced in the latest vision correction technologies.

  • Mr Thomas Materman

    Mr Tom Materman received his primary medical degree from the University of Auckland, New Zealand, in 1991. He worked as a locum GP before spending 12 months in Nepal with the Tilganga Eye Institute, part of the Fred Hollows Foundation, committed to providing first-world eye care in third-world countries. He then underwent postgraduate training in Ophthalmology in Wellington, New Zealand. After his training, he gained further Fellowship experience at the West of England Eye Hospital and the glaucoma service of Moorfields Eye Hospital, then completed a two-year refractive surgical fellowship in London with Professor Jan Venter.

    Since 2006 he has been a Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists. Mr Materman has performed over 30,000 laser vision correction procedures (LASIK and PRK) and has significant experience in other areas of refractive practice such as lens replacement surgery, ICL implantation and cataract surgery. He keeps his knowledge up to date by attending numerous courses and conferences and is enrolled in an approved CPD programme by the Irish College of Ophthalmologists.

    Mr Materman is dedicated to using the most advanced techniques and safest technologies worldwide, and is a member of various professional organisations including the Irish Medical Council, the General Medical Council (UK) and the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons.

    In his free time he enjoys photography, cooking, and outdoor activities such as mountain biking, road cycling and ocean sports.

  • Mr Mikhail Hernandez

    Mr Mikhail Hernandez is a fully qualified medical practitioner with vast experience in ophthalmology. After graduating Magna Cum Laude, with great distinction, and gaining his Spanish University Medical Degree in 2011, his passion for ophthalmology developed. Becoming a specialist in the field, Mr Hernandez continued his studies in ophthalmology, winning the scholarship of the Congress of the Valencian Society of Ophthalmology in 2016 and becoming a Specialist Doctor of Ophthalmology in 2017.

    Since then Mr Hernandez has completed a number of advanced qualifications in ophthalmology. He is a cornea specialist with experience in both normal and pathological corneal diagnosis and treatment, having performed multiple intricate surgeries such as corneal transplant, keratoconus and pterygium, using advanced technologies including the femtosecond and excimer lasers. He has practised as an ophthalmologist in southern Ireland and in Spain, has performed more than 4,000 cataract surgery procedures, and has gained a vast amount of experience in refractive intraocular lens treatments.

    With a keen interest in cataract and lens replacement care, Mr Hernandez regularly attends and speaks at industry conferences to stay on top of the latest developments in the field, and has shared his findings as a co-author and research participant in a substantial number of medical books, journals and clinical studies both internationally and nationally. He also teaches ophthalmology residents and medical students from Spain and other parts of Europe in the ophthalmology and cornea field.

    On a personal level, Mr Hernandez loves to travel and to spend time with his family. His current favourite pastime is raising his baby.

  • Dr Mehul Damani

    Dr Mehul Damani is an ophthalmic surgeon with extensive specialist training in refractive surgery and is considered a leader in his field by his patients and peers. He is a specialist in LASIK and PRK laser eye surgery, having performed over 19,000 procedures, and has mentored many ophthalmic surgeons during their refractive surgery training.

    He graduated from the University of Mumbai, where he won the Pfizer Medical award and medallion for first place in the final MBBS examination. He then became a Registrar at Grant Medical College and Sir J.J. Group of Hospitals in Mumbai, subsequently completing three years of specialist ophthalmology training with an emphasis on cataract and glaucoma surgery.

    Dr Damani widened his experience as a specialist doctor for Colchester General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Southend University NHS Hospital. He gained further specialist training in refractive surgery and was awarded the Certificate in Refractive Surgery (CertLRS) from the Royal College of Ophthalmologists, and has conducted observations in oculoplasty at Moorfields. He has presented many peer-reviewed medical papers and posters for the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) and the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ESCRS).

    Dr Damani is passionate about Indian classical music and loves to travel and explore different cultures and cuisines. He enjoys the process of training new surgeons.

  • Mr Dipak Parmar

    Mr Dipak Parmar completed his medical training at the United Medical and Dental Schools of Guy's and St Thomas's Hospitals in London. He completed his basic surgical training at King's College Hospital in neurosurgery and ophthalmology, after which he passed the FRCOphth examination to become a Fellow of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists. He completed his higher surgical training in ophthalmology and a fellowship in uveitis and medical retina at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London.

    Mr Parmar completed an international clinical fellowship in cornea, external diseases and refractive surgery at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas, from 2003 to 2005. As a result of his training and research he has authored over 40 papers in peer-reviewed journals and has written 3 book chapters. He is one of the few eye surgeons in the UK to have undergone state-of-the-art training in refractive surgery in a prestigious clinical fellowship programme in the USA, and one of the first ophthalmology consultants in the UK to offer corneal collagen cross-linking treatment for keratoconus, in both private and NHS settings.

    He was awarded the CCST (Certificate of Completion of Surgical Training) and specialist registration under the General Medical Council in ophthalmology in 2003, and took up the post of consultant ophthalmic surgeon at Barts Health NHS Trust, London, in 2006. He moved on from the NHS in 2017 to further his career as an independent consultant ophthalmic surgeon based in London and Essex, and continues to perform high-volume cataract surgery for independent providers to the NHS on a biweekly basis. He regularly performs lens and laser based vision correction procedures in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

    Mr Parmar was awarded the Fellowship of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists (FRANZCO) in September 2011. In 2023 he spent significant time working in busy private and public hospitals in rural south-west Australia, gaining a high volume of experience in general ophthalmology, cataract surgery, medical retina injections, and glaucoma including selective laser trabeculoplasty and iStent minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS).

    Mr Parmar has extensive surgical experience with over 15,000 eye surgeries completed to date, including over 10,000 cataract and lens surgeries and over 5,000 laser vision correction procedures.

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What our patients say

  • Margaret Mc Clafferty

    I had LASIK done in Dublin after a consultation and follow up in Derry. From the very start, Elizabeth in Derry put me at ease with her approach. Such a warm, helpful way…

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  • Shanna Blair

    Lianne is fabulous, great consultation lots of information and lovely to speak to

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  • Ben Sheeran

    Fantastic staff. Lianne was really courteous and professional

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  • Aline Bortolotti Secco

    I had a great LASIK experience at Optilase Carrickmines and couldn’t be happier with the results. Dr. Tom Materman is incredibly kind, attentive, and made me feel comfort…

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  • Luke

    Very good experience throughout. Very helpful and friendly staff and a quick procedure done. Would recommend.

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  • Carl Thorne

    Life changing. From the initial consultation to the aftercare, Optilase have been friendly, professional and caring every step of the way. No worry or concern was too sma…

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  • Colm Smith

    Very happy with the operation, results and the aftercare

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  • Thomas Mielimonka

    Fantastic experience through and through. Fred and the rest of Belfast team were a dream to work with. They explained everything, kept me well informed and honoured the …

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  • Sarah Lennon

    Very nice staff. Very patient and accommodating. Made a nervous patient feel less so.

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  • Gerard Mcphillips

    Very professional and appointments on time

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  • D

    Great team, great experience. Anyone thinking about doing it, do it. Always on the end of the phone if there was any issues. Highly recommend!

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  • Jason Farrell

    The entire process was smooth professional and completely stress free, I couldn't be happier with my outcome

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Monofocal and multifocal lens questions answered

Quick answers to the questions we hear most often about choosing between lens designs.

  • A monofocal lens provides one main focal point, while a multifocal lens is designed to provide useful focus across more than one distance.

    A multifocal lens may reduce your overall dependence on glasses, while a monofocal lens usually means using glasses for distances outside its selected focus.

  • Not necessarily. Multifocal lenses offer greater potential for glasses independence, but they can also produce more visual effects such as glare or halos.

    A monofocal lens may be more appropriate if you are comfortable wearing glasses for some activities, or if your eye health or lifestyle makes multifocal optics less suitable.

  • Usually, yes, for at least some activities. If your monofocal lens is targeted for clear distance vision, you will normally need reading glasses for close work and may also use glasses for some intermediate tasks.

  • No. Multifocal lenses are designed to reduce dependence on glasses across several distances, but complete glasses independence cannot be guaranteed. Some people may still prefer or require glasses for particular tasks or fine visual work.

  • For the majority of patients the brain adapts smoothly, and the trade-off is well worth the reduced dependence on glasses. Some patients do notice halos or glare around lights, particularly at night.

    These effects may become less noticeable with time, but they are an important consideration when deciding whether a multifocal lens fits your lifestyle.

  • Potentially, yes. The artificial lens implanted during Cataract Surgery can be selected with your visual goals in mind, but not every lens type is suitable for every patient. Your surgeon will assess your eye health and discuss whether a multifocal or monofocal option is best suited to you.

  • The same broad types of intraocular lens can be used in both procedures. The main difference is why the natural lens is being removed.

    Cataract Surgery treats a lens that has become cloudy, whereas Lens Replacement Surgery may be done primarily to correct vision before a significant cataract has developed. The lens itself is then selected according to your prescription, eye health and visual goals.

  • An implanted lens can sometimes be exchanged, but this requires another intraocular procedure and carries its own risks. For that reason your surgeon will discuss your lens choice with you before surgery, rather than assuming it can easily be changed afterwards.

    Our team can explain the options if a lens exchange ever becomes clinically appropriate.

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