Data presented by Dr. Francisco Sánchez León in London show reliably good uncorrected vision at distance, intermediate and near, in daylight and in low light, with no serious adverse events and every patient free of halos
Results Z Optics IOL
RENO, Nev., Sept. 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Z Optics Inc., a medical device company developing the Z+ Virtual Aperture intraocular lens (IOL) for cataract surgery patients, today announced that six-month clinical results for the lens were presented at the 44th Congress of the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS), held from 11 to 15 September 2026 in London. The presentation, “Safety and Effectiveness of a Total Depth-of-Focus Intraocular Lens with a Virtual Aperture Optic”, was delivered by Dr. Francisco Sánchez León of Novavision Laser Center in Naucalpan, Mexico, lead investigator of the study.
The single-center study enrolled 43 patients (86 eyes) who received the Z+ IOL in both eyes, including 38 eyes implanted with the latest, third-generation design. Six months after surgery, 100 percent of eyes with the third-generation lens achieved uncorrected distance vision of 20/32 or better in daylight conditions, with a mean of 20/24, and 92 percent achieved uncorrected near vision of 20/32 or better, with a mean of 20/26. Vision was barely reduced in low light: under mesopic conditions, mean uncorrected acuity was 20/25 at distance and 20/28 at near.
All eyes reached best corrected distance vision of 20/25 or better, and 79 percent of eyes read 20/40 or better at intermediate distance on a 10 percent low-contrast chart. With both eyes open and no glasses, patients averaged 20/23 at distance and 20/25 at near.
No serious adverse events were reported through six months. Every patient in the study was free of halos, and 79 percent reported no glare, with 18 percent reporting mild and 3 percent moderate glare. Corneal endothelial cell density averaged 2,475 cells per square millimeter, indicating well-maintained corneal health.
“What impressed us in this series is how consistent the results are,” said Dr. Sánchez León. “Patients see well at distance, intermediate and near, and they keep that vision when the light goes down. Not one of them reported halos, and the image quality is what we are used to from a monofocal lens. For patients who care about night driving and low-contrast vision, this is a combination we have not been able to offer before.”
The Z+ IOL is built on a monofocal platform. A 2.8 mm central optic is surrounded by a geometric virtual aperture zone that reshapes light rather than splitting it between focal points, as multifocal lenses do. Out-of-focus light is redirected away from the central retina, which raises contrast and signal-to-noise ratio and gives a continuous range of vision from near to far without the halos, glare and loss of night vision associated with light-splitting designs. Dr. Sánchez León summarized the outcome for the audience in London as multifocal visual acuity with monofocal clarity.
“Z Optics is a new paradigm in IOL design,” said Luke Clauson, CEO of Z Optics Inc. “It addresses the issues that have limited current lens designs and delivers a total depth of focus with no halos and minimal glare: vision everywhere, night and day. Just as importantly, it gives physicians the ability to offer premium refractive outcomes to many more of their patients.”
Beyond the Mexican series, the Z+ Virtual Aperture IOL is being evaluated in a multicenter clinical study in Europe, with sites in Switzerland, Spain and Portugal. Z Optics expects to report results from that study once data collection and analysis are complete.
The ESCRS presentation was co-authored by Jaime Martiz MD and Rocio Sánchez Sanoja MD of Novavision Laser Center, and by Edwin Sarver PhD, Chief Technology Officer, and Matthew Schuster, Vice President Engineering, of Z Optics.
About Z Optics
Z Optics Inc. is a medical device company developing the Z+ Virtual Aperture IOL, a next-generation intraocular lens for cataract surgery built on a monofocal platform. The Virtual Aperture technology provides a total depth of focus with clear vision at near, intermediate, and far distances, night and day, while avoiding the visual disturbances associated with light-splitting lens designs. The technology is protected by globally issued intellectual property. Learn more at www.z-optics.tech.
The Z+ Virtual Aperture IOL is an investigational device. It is available exclusively within clinical studies and is not approved for sale in any geography.
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Z Optics Inc.
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