Understanding Tecnis PureSee IOL

Attention: The Tecnis PureSee IOL DFU clearly states the following: 'The posterior optic of the IOL has a proprietary refractive surface designed to extend range of vision'(TECNIS PureSee™ IOL, Model ZEN00V).

Per the company website the following is quoted under technical specification (last accessed 9th Sept, 2025) 'Shape: Biconvex, wavefront-designed anterior aspheric surface, proprietary refractive surface to increase the depth of focus'. 

The following are the interpretation of Tecnis PureSee IOL optical principle. The article also explains where PureSee may differ from Eyhance design.

Tecnis Puresee IOL Technical Specification

This is a brief explanation of Tecnis PureSee IOL that has been launched in 2024. The official description of the lens from Johnson & Johnson (J&J) is that it is based on proprietary refractive technology that enables continuous changes in power(1). Beyond this the company claims a monofocal like dysphotopsia profile. For those who follow this blog and are interested in science, surely would seek more information to satiate their curiosity. Therefore, here I try to break in a simple language what this may mean to an user beyond the carefully scripted company message.

Image 1 - The radius of a bigger circle is larger than the radius of the smaller circle. Thus the curvature or slope of the smaller circle is steeper than the curvature of the bigger circle quickguide.org

In the picture on the left are two circles, one big and the other small. The radius of curvature of the bigger circle will be higher than the smaller circle, naturally. However, the smaller radius of curvature (smaller circle) will be associated with a steeper curvature. In this case, the orange circle will have a steeper curvature and associated with a higher power. The opposite is true for the larger (blue) circle. If you design a convex lens with radius of curvature of the two circles, then the posterior curvature of the lens will be flatter than the anterior curvature.

Image 2: Above the depth of focus generated with a equiconvex lens. Below DOF generated with a lens whose posterior radius of curvature (R1) is greater than the anterior (R2) quickguide.org

Next let us see what happens if we play with the anterior and posterior radius of curvature of the lens/IOL. In image 2, the lens on the above has an equal radius of curvature on both sides of the lens. Note the depth of focus is limited for this equiconvex IOL. In the below, as we increase the posterior radius of curvature of the lens, the depth of focus increases. Thus a continuous change in refractive surface from the center of the lens to the periphery will introduce some depth of focus. In this case a positive spherical aberration is generated, that is the peripheral rays of light are falling before the focal point generated through refraction of the paraxial rays ( rays that go close to the optical axis of a lens).

Image 3 Source: Aspheric Intraocular Lens in Cataract Surgery Mayank Ambarish Nanavaty, MBBS, DO, FRCOphth http://openaccess.city.ac.uk/

Want to read more?

Subscribe to quickguide.org to keep reading this exclusive post.

Subscribe Now