title: Multicomponent intraocular lens.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Refractive surgery for any form of ametropia, including postoperative cataract rehabilitation, should have as its refractive goal an accuracy comparable to non-surgical modalities such as contact lenses and spectacles. To date, all refractive procedures fall significantly short of this goal because of poor predictability, significant instability, and annoying optical side effects. The multicomponent intraocular lens is being developed to further refine the accuracy of conventional IOL surgery by making the initial refractive result adjustable.
  
  
  METHODS
  The multicomponent intraocular lens has three optical elements. The spherical base lens looks much like an ordinary PC-IOL. Attached to it are two exchangeable optical elements-a toric sandwich lens and a spherical or multifocal cap lens. The exchangeable elements allow the surgeon to refine the initial refractive result during a second, optional operative procedure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  To date, prototype lenses have been fabricated from polymethylmethacrylate. These lenses have been assembled and disassembled both in vitro and in cat eyes to demonstrate the feasibility of this new concept.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The multicomponent intraocular lens concept is a major departure from conventional IOL technology because it allows enhancement, or fine tuning, of an already fairly accurate refractive procedure, IOL surgery.
authors.affiliation: University of Virginia, Charlottesville, USA.
authors.forename: T P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Werblin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D004867:Equipment Design; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D007910:Lenses, Intraocular; D013508:Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000379:methods