Many patients with cataract also have astigmatism. Astigmatism is where the front surface of the eye is curved like an melon rather than round like an orange. The top illustration shows how the light is not fully focused by the astigmatic eye and comes to two different points of focus. The wire drawing below is a map of the surface of an eye with astigmatism and shows “rugby ball” shaped surface which is often talked about. This distorted curvature causes the eye to be out of focus. Glasses in which the lens is deliberately distorted like the front of the eye but in the opposite way cancel the distortion and the eye can see clearly. This is how patients with astigmatism can see sharply with glasses. When patients with astigmatism need cataract surgery it is now possible to implant a replacement lens which also corrects the astigmatism. These lenses are called Toric lenses. When such a lens is used the patient can see clearly without glasses for distance. So far at I have very good success with this lens. The patients with this lens have achieved very excellent unaided vision. If you have significant astigmatism and wish to be independent of glasses for distance following your cataract operation you may wish to have this lens implanted at the time of your surgery. Risks and Disadvantages The lens must be orientated in an exact alignment to the patient’s astigmatism in order to fully neutralise it. If the lens were to rotate out of position it would cause defocusing of the eye. This would then be corrected with simple glasses. So far this has not happened to any of our patients. The material from which the lens is made is well tried and tested in the human eye and has an excellent safety record. The material from which the lens is made is well tried and tested in the human eye and has an excellent safety record. It is important to remember that just as with the standard implant we cannot guarantee perfect focus without glasses. This lens is not available through the NHS.