A trifocal lens has three focal points: distance, intermediate, and near. It is the artificial lens with the greatest range – and therefore, for many patients, the path to true freedom from glasses. However, it is not the right choice for every eye, and anyone who conceals this is selling rather than treating.
What is a trifocal lens – and how does it differ from an EDOF lens?
Both lenses are intended to make reading glasses unnecessary, but they do so in different ways. The trifocal lens divides the incoming light into three fixed planes of focus. The EDOF lens instead creates a continuous range of focus from distance to approximately the computer screen.
| Criterion | Trifocal Lens | EDOF Lens | Monofocal-plus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Focus Planes | Distance, Intermediate, Near | Continuous Distance to PC | One Plane |
| Reading Glasses in Daily Life | Usually not required | Often still required for small print | Required for near vision |
| Night Vision | Halos possible, usually declining | Tendency for fewer halos | Unremarkable |
| Well Suited For | Reading, Mobile Phone, Near-range Hobbies | Frequent Drivers, Computer Work | Eyes with Pre-existing Conditions |
| Price per Eye | €3,500 | €3,500 | €3,500 |
The last line is the point that distinguishes us from most providers: With us, every lens type costs the same. The decision is therefore made exclusively on a medical basis – there is no economic reason for us to recommend a specific lens to you.
Am I suitable for a trifocal lens?
The trifocal lens requires an optically healthy eye. We measure several parameters before every decision, and one of them regularly leads to questions during consultation: the alpha distance. It describes how well the lens will be centered in the eye. If it is below approximately 0.6 mm, a trifocal lens will not sit cleanly enough – the result would be halos and an unstable image. In such cases, we use a toric monofocal-plus lens at the same price.
How strong are the halos really?
To be honest: In the first few weeks, most patients see rings around light sources at night. This is part of how a lens that distributes light across three planes works. The decisive factor is what happens next: the brain learns to filter these signals – neuroadaptation. After three to six months, most of those affected no longer consciously perceive the rings in everyday life.
We tell you this beforehand, not afterwards. Anyone who travels a lot at night for work is more likely to be recommended an EDOF lens by us – even if the trifocal lens would come closer to the wish for freedom from glasses.
What Does the Treatment Involve?
How much does a trifocal lens cost in Vienna?
The same price as for any other lens type. No surcharge for the premium lens. From €68/month.
Optionally, the femtosecond laser can be added (€1,000). You can find all prices in detail on the Lens Surgery Costs page.
Does a trifocal lens last a lifetime?
Yes. The artificial lens does not become cloudy and does not age. Anyone who receives a trifocal lens can no longer develop a cataract – the cloudy natural lens has been removed. Progressive presbyopia is also stopped.
Posterior capsule opacification – a clouding of the remaining lens capsule – can occur months to years later. It is harmless and can be corrected painlessly in a few minutes with the YAG laser.
Is a trifocal lens the same as a multifocal lens?
Not quite – and the confusion is common. Multifocal is the umbrella term for any artificial lens with more than one focal point. The trifocal lens is the most common design today, with exactly three focal points. Older bifocal lenses had only two and left the intermediate range – computer screen, dashboard, price tag on the shelf – unserved. It is precisely this gap that the third plane closes.
So if you read about multifocal lenses and three focal points are mentioned, a trifocal lens is meant.
How quickly will I see normally again?
Most patients report significantly clearer vision as early as the day after the procedure. Vision is generally suitable for everyday use immediately, but full performance takes a little longer:
- Day 1: Follow-up at the clinic, usually already good everyday vision.
- Week 1: do not lift heavy loads, do not rub your eyes, no swimming pool or sauna.
- Week 2 to 12: the brain gets used to the three planes of focus. Reading without glasses becomes more natural from week to week.
- Month 3 to 6: halos at night recede into the background.
Driving is usually possible again after a few days, as soon as the visual acuity meets the legal requirements. We confirm this during the follow-up examination.
What are the risks of a trifocal lens?
The best protection against all of this is pre-selection: we only use the trifocal lens where the measurements support it. That is why we regularly decline them.
Trifocal, EDOF, or Monofocal-plus — which lens fits whom?
The three lens types solve the same task differently. None is better; each involves a trade-off. Because all cost €3,500 per eye with us, we can compare them side-by-side without any economic incentive playing a role.
| Trifocal | EDOF | Monofocal-plus | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharp Distances | three: distance, PC, near | a continuous range up to about arm’s length | one |
| Reading Glasses | usually no longer required | often still for small print | required for near vision |
| Halos at Night | initially significant, usually declining | low | none |
| Contrast at Twilight | slightly reduced | hardly reduced | unchanged |
| Suited For | Reading, Mobile Phone, Needlework | Computer, Driving, Sports | Night Professions, Eyes with Pre-existing Conditions |
| Price | €3,500 | €3,500 | €3,500 |
When we advise against a trifocal lens
The trifocal lens is the most demanding of the three. It requires the most from the eye and the brain. There are situations in which we advise against it, even if the desire is there.
In all these cases, we recommend the EDOF lens or a monofocal-plus lens — at the same price.
How long does the adjustment take?
A trifocal lens projects three images onto the retina simultaneously. Your brain must learn to select the sharp one and suppress the others. This process is called neuroadaptation, and it takes time. This is the point where most patients underestimate what lies ahead.
| Period | What You Experience |
|---|---|
| Day 1 to 3 | Distance already significantly clearer, near vision still unstable, halos strongest |
| Week 1 to 4 | Reading becomes increasingly effortless, switching between distances still requires attention |
| Month 2 to 3 | The halos recede into the background: they do not physically disappear, but the brain no longer pays attention to them |
| Month 6 to 12 | Final state. What still disturbs now will generally remain |
What accelerates adjustment: having both eyes treated. The brain finds it considerably easier with two similar images than with one trifocal and one natural. And simply usage: reading, looking at the phone, looking into the distance. Anyone who ‘spares’ the new lens prolongs the adjustment.
Trifocal lens with or without cataracts — what does that change?
Nothing for the procedure, everything for the question of cost.
If a cataract is already present, the lens must be replaced anyway. The trifocal lens is then the choice for which lens takes its place. In a public hospital, there would be a standard monofocal lens without the possibility of a co-payment; in private practice, you pay the total amount and decide freely.
If your own lens is still clear, it is referred to as refractive lens exchange. The reason is then presbyopia. An elective service without health insurance contribution. The advantage: those who decide earlier preempt the cataract. An artificial lens cannot become cloudy, so the operation is eliminated forever.
The measurement shows which of the two paths applies to you. The suitability test beforehand is free, even if we subsequently advise you to choose a different lens.
Explained in the video
Lens replacement with multifocal implants — trifocal lenses belong to this family. The procedure in the video.
Why EyeLaser Vienna?
— Dr. Victor Derhartunian, FEBO