Cataract surgery has been one of the safest and most performed procedures in medicine for decades. But the lens that goes in after the clouded one comes out? That part has kept evolving, and in March 2026, Johnson & Johnson received FDA approval for something that genuinely moves the needle.
It's called the TECNIS PureSee IOL, and Clearview Eye and Laser Medical Center is among the first practices in the San Diego area to offer it.
When cataracts develop, the eye's natural lens gradually clouds over, making everyday tasks like reading, driving, and recognizing faces increasingly difficult. Cataract surgery removes that clouded lens. But once it's out, something has to take its place. That replacement is called an intraocular lens, or IOL.
The IOL you choose matters a lot. A basic lens can restore your distance vision, but it won't do much for reading or intermediate tasks like looking at a computer screen. Premium lenses aim to give you a fuller range of vision, though they have historically come with tradeoffs, particularly around visual disturbances like halos and glare, especially at night.
TECNIS PureSee was designed to get around that.
TECNIS PureSee is classified as an extended depth of focus (EDOF) IOL, which means it's built to give patients a range of vision rather than locking them into one focal point. Good distance vision and solid intermediate vision, with some near vision included as well.
What separates it from other lenses in this category is its contrast sensitivity performance. Contrast sensitivity is your ability to distinguish an object from its background, something that matters most when lighting isn't ideal, like driving at dusk or navigating a dimly lit restaurant. Standard EDOF lenses have often carried warnings about reduced contrast sensitivity compared to a basic monofocal lens. TECNIS PureSee is the first and only FDA-approved EDOF IOL without that warning.
In plain terms: you get a wider range of vision without giving up the sharpness and clarity that patients have always valued in simpler lenses.
The clinical data backs this up. In the study that supported FDA approval, 97% of patients reported no very bothersome visual disturbances like halos or glare. In that same group, 97% said they would recommend the lens to a friend or family member. Those are unusually high numbers in a field where patient satisfaction can be hard to achieve consistently.
It's also worth knowing that the lens comes in a toric version for patients who have astigmatism, which handles both the cataract and the astigmatism correction in a single procedure.
If you're in your 40s or 50s, you've probably already noticed your near vision changing. That's presbyopia, the gradual loss of your eye's ability to focus up close, and it's separate from cataracts even though both tend to develop with age. TECNIS PureSee addresses both in one surgery, which is one of the things that makes the timing of cataract surgery more meaningful than patients often realize. It's a chance not just to restore what you had, but to actually improve on it.
TECNIS PureSee only received FDA approval in March 2026, and it's just beginning to become available at select practices across the country. Clearview is one of very few clinics in the San Diego area currently offering it.
Dr. Sandy T. Feldman and Dr. Michael L. Mathison have built Clearview around staying at the front of what's possible in vision care. Adding PureSee to the practice is consistent with that approach. Patients shouldn't have to travel or wait to access what's newest, and with over 25 years of innovation behind the TECNIS platform and nearly half a million eyes treated with PureSee globally before its U.S. launch, this isn't an experimental technology. It's a proven lens that finally has FDA clearance here.
If you or someone you know is dealing with cataracts, or even just starting to notice the early signs, this is a good time to come in for a conversation. Dr. Feldman and Dr. Mathison can walk you through whether TECNIS PureSee is the right fit for your eyes and your lifestyle.
Call us at (858) 452-3937 or book a free consultation online. We're open Monday through Saturday and happy to answer your questions before you commit to anything.
Cataract surgery and IOL implantation are medical procedures with risks involved and aren't right for everyone. Individual results may vary. Please consult with your eye doctor and consider both the risks and benefits before proceeding. For full indications and important safety information, speak with your physician or visit fda.gov.Share
