Reading ability and stereoacuity with combined implantation of refractive and diffractive multifocal intraocular lenses.

To evaluate reading ability and stereoscopic vision with combined implantation of refractive and diffractive multifocal intraocular lenses (IOLs).Thirty-one cataract patients (62 eyes) were assigned to receive either a ReZoom NXG1 IOL in the dominant eye and a Tecnis ZM900 IOL in the fellow eye (MIOL group), or Sensar AR40e IOLs bilaterally (SIOL group). The uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) at 500 cm, best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA) at 500 cm, reading acuity, reading speed, near stereoacuity and questionnaire were assessed 3 months postoperatively.Three months postoperatively, monocular and binocular UCVA and BSCVA at 500 cm showed no significant differences in both groups. The uncorrected reading acuity and reading speed in the MIOL group were significantly better than those in the SIOL group and were similar to that with correction in the SIOL group. The uncorrected mean near stereoacuity in the MIOL group was significantly better than that in the SIOL group (69 ± 50 seconds of arc in the MIOL group versus 180 ± 160 seconds of arc in the SIOL group). Patients in the MIOL group had a high level of satisfaction and more than 80% of them had an increased independence from spectacles for brief reading.The combined implantation of refractive and diffractive multifocal IOLs was effective in improving reading ability and near stereoacuity with a good visual quality.