Swiss-American medical device company Alcon has received regulatory approval for its Clareon PanOptix Pro intraocular lens (IOL) for cataract patients in Canada.
The trifocal IOL features the company’s in-house ENLIGHTEN NXT Optical technology, offering the lowest light scatter and the highest reported light utilisation among its peers.
The Clareon PanOptix Pro IOL achieves 94% light utilisation, nearing the theoretical maximum of 96% for diffractive optics.
The lens also provides improved uninterrupted light distribution from distance to near and a 16% increase in optical image contrast between distance and intermediate vision.
The advanced features build on Alcon’s established low visual disturbance profile and high patient satisfaction of the PanOptix range.
Alcon intraocular devices R&D VP Rob Scott: “As the global leader in eye care, we are committed to improving our technologies to advance patient outcomes through rigorous, world-class R&D.
“Our team looked at hundreds of design options, ultimately landing on a targeted diffractive refinement that helped us recover 50% of light lost to scatter, and reposition it to a beneficial focal point for PanOptix Pro.
“This allowed for specific enhancements while maintaining the features that have driven the success of PanOptix—the world’s most implanted trifocal IOL.”
Clareon PanOptix Pro will be offered in Canada from early 2026, through Alcon’s single-use Clareon AutonoMe preloaded delivery system and the Clareon Monarch IV delivery system.
The lens provides a +2.17 diopter intermediate and a +3.25 diopter near add power, and includes blue light and ultraviolet filtering.
The Clareon PanOptix Pro Trifocal IOL is designed to focus images clearly onto the retina, enhancing near and intermediate vision compared to monofocal lenses.
It is suitable for activities such as reading and computer work following cataract removal.
University of Toronto professor of ophthalmology Rosa Braga-Mele said: “PanOptix has been a cornerstone of my cataract practice for eight years.
“These lenses have consistently delivered outstanding visual outcomes for my patients – a low visual disturbance profile and a happy patient with greater spectacle independence.
“So, it’s exciting to see this technology evolve to further meet patients’ visual expectations.
“Now, with PanOptix Pro, more light utilisation and less light scatter is possible, empowering both my practice and my patients.”
Earlier in the year, Alcon received CE Mark approval for its Clareon Vivity IOLs in Europe, with a commercial release planned for early Q2 2025.
The Clareon Vivity is designed for patients with mild comorbidities, including age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma, expanding visual correction options in Europe.
