China's First Implantation of Johnson & Johnson Vision's TECNIS Toric II Intraocular Lens Successfully Completed

On January 17, 2023, the implantation surgery of Johnson & Johnson Vision’s latest generation toric intraocular lens, TECNIS Toric II, was successfully performed at the Eye Center of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine. The surgery was conducted by Professor Ke Yao, Director of the Eye Center, Chairman of the Ophthalmology Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, and President of the Asia-Pacific Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery. The official use of this innovative product in China will further promote the high-quality development of cataract with astigmatism correction in the country, helping patients regain a clear, astigmatism-free vision.

Cataract is currently the world's leading cause of blindness. At present, the incidence of cataracts in China's population aged 60 to 89 is about 80%, and it is gradually showing a trend of becoming younger. Surgery is the only scientific treatment for cataracts. In recent years, with changes in people’s lifestyles, an increasing number of cataract patients have higher requirements for uncorrected visual acuity after surgery, transitioning the traditional cataract vision-restoration surgery era into the refractive surgery era. The implantation of multifocal and extended depth-of-focus intraocular lenses has also become a common method for refractive cataract surgery. However, preoperative corneal astigmatism significantly undermines the effectiveness of intraocular lens implantation. According to the "Expert Consensus on the Clinical Application of Toric Intraocular Lenses in China," there is a large population of cataract patients with preoperative corneal astigmatism in China, with 44% of cataract patients having astigmatism greater than 1.00D and 22% having astigmatism greater than 1.50D. Residual astigmatism after cataract surgery has become one of the main factors affecting patients' visual quality.

Traditional treatments for cataract patients with corneal astigmatism mainly include postoperative toric eyeglasses, limbal relaxing incisions (LRI), and corneal laser surgery. With the transformation and development of refractive cataract surgery, as well as advancements in intraocular lens manufacturing technology, Toric intraocular lens implantation has become one of the most effective methods to correct corneal astigmatism in cataract patients. Toric intraocular lens implantation offers a wide range of astigmatism correction, strong surgical predictability, and good, stable postoperative outcomes. It can significantly reduce residual astigmatism after cataract surgery, improve uncorrected visual acuity, increase the rate of spectacle independence, and provide a reasonable and stable treatment option for cataract patients with astigmatism.

As a refractive cataract surgery functional intraocular lens innovatively developed based on the TECNIS platform, the Johnson & Johnson Vision’s new-generation astigmatism-correcting intraocular lens, TECNIS Toric II, is a new type of functional intraocular lens that combines wavefront aspheric toric surface design with the spherical power of the intraocular lens. It is commonly used to correct preoperative corneal astigmatism. The TECNIS Toric II adopts an innovative design with a right-angled frosted C-loop to maximize the friction between the loop and the capsular bag, providing the lens with superior rotational stability and better meeting clinical needs.
At the surgical site, Professor Yao Ke said: "Concerns about postoperative rotational stability have always been a challenge in the development of astigmatism correction surgery in China. Therefore, we are highly anticipating products with excellent rotational stability. In today's implantation surgery, we found that compared to the previous generation of toric intraocular lenses, the innovative right-angle frosted C-loop design of TECNIS Toric II creates greater friction with the capsular bag, thereby providing superior rotational stability. This significantly reduces residual astigmatism in cataract patients after surgery and improves uncorrected distance visual acuity and spectacle independence."

"Helping people see more clearly, communicate more effectively, and live better lives has always been the vision and original aspiration of Johnson & Johnson Vision. Therefore, we are consistently committed to enhancing the postoperative visual experience for cataract patients with astigmatism through continuous innovation," said Wang Liping, Vice President of Johnson & Johnson Vision in Greater China, Australia, and New Zealand. "We are very pleased to witness the successful implantation of the first next-generation toric intraocular lens, TECNIS Toric II, in China. This marks a significant milestone for TECNIS Toric II. Moving forward, we will continue to focus on the diverse needs of cataract patients in China, deepen cooperation with various stakeholders, and empower the development of refractive cataract surgery in China, thereby better addressing the urgent eye health needs of patients in China."

In October 2022, TECNIS Toric II officially received registration approval from the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) and entered the Chinese market to benefit Chinese cataract patients with astigmatism. In the future, Johnson & Johnson Vision will continue to deepen its presence in the Chinese market, accelerate the implementation and transformation of innovative ophthalmic products, and provide safer and more stable options for more cataract patients with astigmatism in China. This effort aims to improve the rate of astigmatism correction among Chinese patients and contribute to the development of a Healthy China.