This year marks the 25th anniversary of Tecnis intraocular lenses. Our Consultant in Charge, Dr Petr Novák has worked with this technology for the same length of time. For the past 10 years, he has also been applying his extensive experience with it at Refractive Center Prague.
A quarter of a century is a long time. Over the years, technology has evolved, the possibilities of eye surgery have expanded and patient expectations have changed. Dr Petr Novák, however, has been able to follow the development of Tecnis lenses from the very beginning, gaining decades of first-hand experience with this technology.
As such, when we began performing intraocular surgery at the Refractive Center Prague in 2016, the choice of implants was clear.
These are not contact lenses
If you have never heard of Tecnis before, it may be worth explaining what we are actually talking about.
Tecnis lenses are not contact lenses that you put in every morning and take out at night. They are intraocular lenses (IOLs) that are implanted directly into the eye during surgery, replacing the eye’s natural lens.
Intraocular lenses are usually implanted during cataract surgery. However, modern intraocular lenses can also address a range of visual needs and in carefully selected patients, help reduce dependence on glasses.
It is in the actual range of options now available to patients that we can see just how far the technology has advanced over the past 25 years.
The reasons behind choosing Tecnis?
When selecting intraocular lenses, we focus on their optical performance, material quality, long-term stability and, above all, the benefits they can offer patients. Tecnis lenses stand out for their carefully engineered optical design, advanced materials and continued technological development.
We believe our patients deserve solutions we can stand behind with confidence. That is why we choose technology we trust and whose capabilities we know well.
For us, Tecnis is more than a proven technology. It is a commitment to the quality we want to offer you. Because when it comes to your vision, we want to provide you with the best possible options.
It is not just about seeing clearly. It is about how you want to see.
When choosing an intraocular lens today, the prescription strength is only one part of the picture. The doctor needs to consider the patient’s eyes as a whole. It is important to take into consideration eye health, medical history, lifestyle and expectations for their vision.
Some people primarily want clear distance vision. Others spend much of their day working at a computer, reading, using their phone or hoping to reduce their reliance on glasses during everyday activities.
That is why different types of intraocular lenses are available, each with their own optical characteristics. Some are designed primarily to provide excellent distance vision, while others can offer a broader range of vision, including intermediate or near distances. The Tecnis portfolio includes monofocal, toric and multifocal lenses, as well as lenses with an extended depth of focus.
There is no single lens that is ideal for everyone. The most suitable option is determined by the doctor following a thorough examination, with the patient’s eyes, lifestyle and expectations all taken into consideration.
Dr Petr Novák explains: “Technology has, of course, advanced significantly over the past 25 years. What I value most, however, is that I have been able to follow this development from the very beginning while continuing to work with Tecnis lenses throughout. So, when we started performing intraocular surgery at Refractive Center Prague ten years ago, it felt natural to continue using a technology I had already trusted for 15 years.”
When better vision makes a difference in everyday life
Behind every intraocular lens there is ultimately a real person, with their own reasons for wanting to see differently. For some, the priority may be being able to read comfortably. For others, it may be driving, playing sports, travelling or simply opening their eyes in the morning without immediately reaching for their glasses.
That is one of the things we find most rewarding about our work: the outcome of surgery is not just a number on an examination report. It is a change that patients experience in their everyday life.
The experience of actor Karel Zima, who recently underwent Tecnis intraocular lens implantation at our centre, is a good example of what a difference improved vision can make in practice.
Because his vision deteriorated, he needed two pairs of glasses. One for distance and another for near vision. Constantly switching between them made his work in theatre and in front of the camera difficult, affecting everything from reading scripts and hosting events to many ordinary daily activities. Throughout the day, he repeatedly had to take his glasses off, look for them and put them back on.
“Before the surgery, my world was divided between two pairs of glasses. I could either see well up close or see well at a distance. But life doesn’t happen at just one distance,” Karel Zima recalls.
What he values most about the result is the freedom it has brought to his everyday life. He no longer has to think about which pair of glasses to take, where he left them or whether he will need them for his next activity. He says: “It has been a few months since the surgery, and I’m slowly starting to forget that I ever wore glasses at all. It feels like something that happened ten or even a hundred years ago and I certainly wouldn’t want to go back.”
What do 25 years of working with Tecnis mean to us?
Above all, they represent experience.
Experience that reminds us that modern medicine is about more than technology and numbers. Technology matters. But knowing how to use it effectively for each individual patient matters just as much.
25 years later, we see Tecnis lenses as more than just a part of our clinic’s history. They are part of a journey in which we have continued to move forward alongside advances in eye surgery. And we are proud to continue that journey today.
25 years of experience. Thousands of people who wanted to see the world as clearly as possible.