The Evolution of Cataract Surgery — Everything About Premium Multifocal Lenses
2026.05Expert Insight

The Evolution of Cataract Surgery — Everything About Premium Multifocal Lenses

3 min readMediQueen Editorial

Compare premium multifocal lenses including PanOptix, Synergy, and EDOF, and analyze why Korea is 30–50% cheaper than the US and Japan.

The Evolution of Cataract Surgery — Everything About Premium Multifocal Lenses

Cataracts can affect anyone after their 40s, but now premium surgery goes beyond restoring vision to "correcting presbyopia too." Korea boasts world-class expertise in premium multifocal intraocular lenses (IOLs).

Premium Multifocal IOL Options

① PanOptix (Alcon) — A trifocal lens providing clear vision at far, intermediate, and near distances. Minimal nighttime glare makes it ideal for frequent drivers.

② Synergy (J&J Vision) — Continuous focus technology delivers natural visual transitions. Optimal for avid readers and PC users.

③ EDOF (Extended Depth of Focus) — Excels at far and intermediate distances with the least glare among premium options.

Korea's Price Advantage

Premium cataract surgery (with multifocal IOL) costs ₩2,000,000–4,000,000 in Korea. In the US it's $5,000–$8,000, in Japan ¥500,000–¥800,000. Korea is 30–50% cheaper than the US while using identical premium lenses.

Why Get Surgery in Korea

Korean ophthalmologists perform thousands of cataract surgeries annually with state-of-the-art femtosecond laser equipment. Surgery takes 10–15 minutes, same-day discharge, and patients return to daily activities the next day.