Cataract and Refractive Surgery Alcon Unlocks The Future

Zealand). Clinicians gathered at the door of a shared moment. Holding the key, Dr Alison Chiu (Sydney) framed the momentum of newer premium intraocular lens choices early in the proceedings, stating that “innovation has become a necessity”. She expressed that it is nowhere more visible than in Australia, as one of the highest users of toric intraocular lenses (IOLs) in the world. It is the result of a profession willing to query designs, adopt better tools, and raise the standard of what patients can expect when they leave the clinic chair.

In shades of clinical blue, the morning outlined the progress made in cataract surgery, with Professor Tim Roberts (Sydney) mapping global standards and definitions. This was a useful reminder that lens choices that feel routine in theatre are still being actively refined at an international level. The question of the day then became: how do I get the right lens choice for the right patient? Amid this complexity, renowned Professor Chee Soon Phaik (Singapore) stepped in and made a compelling case for the Clareon Vivity IOL extended depth of focus (EDOF) lens as her preferred choice. Not because they are the newest option, but because she has seen them deliver for her patients. This is supported by a 12-month registry study across Europe, Australia, and New Zealand (n=885) finding spectacle independence was high for distance (87%) and intermediate (78%) vision, with 92.1% of cataract patients reporting satisfaction with post-op vision.1

The Australian launch of the Clareon PanOptix Pro gave the room plenty to discuss over Melbourne’s finest flat whites. Dr Uday Bhatt (Melbourne) shared his trifocal lens journey, and his early Clareon PanOptix Pro outcomes were equally encouraging; 94% refractive accuracy within ±0.50D across his first 100 eyes between November 2025 and March 2026. Dr David Kent (New Zealand) shared his personal experience with the Alcon Clareon Vivity EDOF IOL, describing it as well-suited to patients who frequently engage in intermediate tasks such as computer work, reading, and cooking. In a series of 445 eyes he tested, 9.2% required a LASIK adjustment, a rate he noted is further reduced with the Clareon Vivity.2 For patients who are risk-averse regarding dysphotopsia, the EDOF platform tends to be the preferred option. While Clareon Vivity consistently delivers excellent distance and intermediate vision, near vision remains functional rather than fully spectacle-independent. Notably, reading ability was independently correlated with increasing myopia and smaller pupil diameter, reinforcing the nuances between refractive outcome and ocular anatomy. The morning session ultimately reinforced one theme: that setting realistic expectations equates to higher patient satisfaction.

Dr Chris Lim (Singapore) shared something I have thought about since: how much of what the doctor says do we actually remember? The answer is not much: standard verbal explanation often leaves patients with more than a 50% information gap.3 His team’s response was to develop illustrated guides, which he found reduced 21 minutes of chair time with 87% of his patients feeling it was easy for them to understand. A free mobile app called Eye Surgeries is coming to iOS and Android. That feels like something to keep an eye on (pun intended).

Dr Lana Del Porto’s (Melbourne) candour was refreshing; she asks each patient a single question, “What is more important to you: driving at night or reading without glasses?” The answer tells her most of what she needs to know. She has been implanting Clareon PanOptix Pro since November 2025 and achieving 94.7% within ±0.25D. Her exclusion criteria for multifocal lenses were unambiguous: macular drusen, glaucoma with field loss, severe dry eye. The broader point was equally clear, that a premium lens implanted in the wrong patient without adequate preparation is not a premium outcome.

The panel discussion closed on a perspective I had not fully considered, which was the relationship between lens choice and falls. The evidence is sobering; multifocal spectacles and monovision increase the risk of fall-related injury in presbyopic adults.5-7However, like a knight in shining armour, first-eye cataract surgery alone reduces this risk by around 33%.8 This is more than a statistic; addressing presbyopia at the time of cataract surgery isn’t just a visual upgrade, but a meaningful step toward fall prevention. One that can keep our patients living well, alongside the families who care for them.

If the morning fed the brain, the afternoon was determined to keep it in sharp focus. With myopia projected to affect 52% of the global population by 2050,9 cataract surgeons will increasingly encounter patients who have had laser vision correction. This makes innovation that much more relevant. Who better to drive that point home than Associate Professor Smita Agarwal (Wollongong, NSW), a comprehensive ophthalmologist specialising in refractive cataract surgery. She introduced a technique called the ‘Phaco Cortex Polish’ (PCP) using a hybrid tip in cataract surgery. As she succinctly put it, “one tip does it all”. It allows for nucleus removal, cortex aspiration, and capsular polishing without repeated instrument exchange. By avoiding the need for multiple instruments to enter the wound (i.e., irrigation aspiration tip, cortex extractor, and polisher), surgical efficiency and safety are enhanced without compromising quality. Although not yet formally validated, her observations challenged the assumption that newer methods may compromise control or efficiency.

Dr Andrea Ang (Perth) walked through the unpredictable terrain of altered corneas. In preoperative assessment, prior myopic laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK) can overestimate corneal power while hyperopic LASIK can underestimate it. As a result, less than 70% of patients with prior myopic LASIK or photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) achieve outcomes within +/-05.0D of target, compared to 80% or more for virgin corneas.10 Dr Ang drove home the point that comprehensive corneal data is the cornerstone of accurate IOL selection in eyes with complex pasts.

Although most of the day was spent discussing patient-related outcomes post-cataract surgery, attention was also drawn to the factors that may affect a surgeon’s abilities during the cataract surgery. Now no matter where you work, we all know what it is like to come home from a long day with a stiff neck and sore shoulder. Turns out there’s a reason! Tilt your head forward just 30° and your neck is carrying over 22 kilograms. For high-volume surgeons, this cumulative load is no longer just uncomfortable, it can be career-limiting. Dr Rahul Chakrabarti (Melbourne) shared that digital platforms like Alcon’s Ngenuity 3D Visualization System are changing this by allowing surgeons to operate looking up at a large screen in a natural position rather than hunching into oculars. This reduces strain across a full theatre list while simultaneously improving visualisation for everyone in the room. It was a moment capturing career sustainability, and watching it play out on screen brought that idea home.

Dr Naren Shetty (Bangalore, India) navigated a cataract complicated by old radial keratotomy incisions, where one wrong move risked reopening a cut that should have stayed closed decades ago. Watching him adapt in real time with Alcon’s Unity Vitreoretinal Cataract System (VCS) was a lesson in learning how to not chase the problem. Professor Chee then spoke about managing a posterior polar cataract, where rupture is not a risk but a near certainty. With remarkable composure, she managed a pre-ruptured capsule in one eye and a mid-surgery rupture in the other, salvaging the latter with a standby toric Clareon PanOptix lens. This left the room with one immediate takeaway: always have a premium standby lens ready, and if one eye ruptures, treat the fellow as high-risk from the outset.

There is a shift happening in cataract surgery. Patients are arriving more informed and ready to ask for more. The Australian launch of Clareon PanOptix Pro makes a compelling case for reassessing your premium IOL default. The real-world outcomes presented (94% refractive accuracy within ±0.50D in early adopter cohorts) are the kind of numbers that hold. Yet the message was consistent: patient selection remains non-negotiable. Screening for retinal pathology and optimising the ocular surface before any multifocal discussion is essential. If you treat early and set expectations clearly, the lens can deliver what it promises.