Ophthalmology · Premium Lenses
Astigmatism,
corrected inside the lens.
Every premium design — and the monofocal lens too — is available in a toric version: astigmatism is corrected in the same implant, not afterwards.
A toric IOL compensates for the cornea’s irregular curvature, correcting astigmatism in the same surgical step as the implant. Available in every design — monofocal, multifocal, trifocal and EDOF — it is calculated around the map of your eye at Palazzo Manzoni in Brescia.
3 designs
Multifocal, trifocal and EDOF — all also available in toric versions
Zeiss
Exclusive technology partner
1 specialist
From examination through recovery
24–48 hours
Typical return to daily activities
The starting point
You have been adapting for
a long time.
Perhaps the first thing you look for in the morning is your reading glasses. Perhaps you hold your arm out to read a label, or turn up the light to read a menu. Adapting has become such a quiet habit that you barely notice it.
Presbyopia and cataracts do not improve on their own: over time, the natural lens loses elasticity and transparency. Glasses compensate, but they do not restore freedom.
At Palazzo Manzoni in Brescia, the first step is simply a complete diagnostic assessment: understanding your eyes and your life before recommending any lens. About an hour, with no obligation.
What makes a toric IOL different
The difference is a lens designed for your eye
Astigmatism arises from a cornea with different curvatures across its meridians: light focuses at several points, leaving the image blurred or stretched at every distance.
A toric IOL has a geometry that precisely compensates for this: its power and orientation are calculated from the individual eye’s corneal topography, and in theatre the lens is accurately aligned on the correct axis.
That brings three things: clear vision at every distance, the full performance of the chosen design and an extra check in the first few days to confirm alignment.
01
Calculated to measure
Power and axis come from the corneal map of your eye.
02
For every design
Monofocal, multifocal, trifocal or EDOF: each is available in a toric version.
03
One department, one pathway
Diagnostics, implant and follow-ups, led by your specialist.
Your journey
Your path to clear vision,
step by step.
Step 01
Book your examination
Phone, WhatsApp, email or online booking. No referral needed.
Step 02
Meet your specialist
A complete assessment of your eyes, a clear explanation of the options and a recommendation built around your life.
Step 03
The treatment
Day surgery at Palazzo Manzoni: the implant takes around 10–15 minutes per eye, using eye drops only.
Step 04
See the world again
The things your vision had quietly taken away begin to return, one by one.
Is a toric IOL right for you?
Is a toric IOL
right for your eyes?
A toric version is not an optional extra: when astigmatism exceeds the clinical threshold, it is what allows any premium lens to truly perform. The typical profile shares these traits.
Clinical profile
- Significant corneal astigmatism (indicatively from 0.75–1 dioptre upwards)
- Developing cataract or advanced presbyopia
- Regular, measurable corneal topography
- Healthy macula and retina
- Any intended design: monofocal or premium
- No untreated active eye condition
Life profile
- Blurred or “stretched” vision at every distance, even with glasses
- A history of glasses with cylinder correction or toric contact lenses
- A wish to get the most from the chosen premium lens
- Availability for early follow-ups to check alignment
- Expectations aligned with the chosen base design
When a toric IOL is not the right answer
Below the clinical threshold, astigmatism can be managed through the incision location or a possible laser enhancement. With irregular corneas — for example in keratoconus — standard toric calculations are not reliable and the strategy must be personalised.
If your eyes need a toric IOL, the assessment will confirm it. If not, the right path will emerge from the same tests — and we will show it to you with the same clarity.
Evidence and technology
Decades of evidence,
on an advanced platform
Premium intraocular lenses rest on decades of clinical evidence: millions of implants documented in the literature, optical designs refined generation after generation and ever more precise selection criteria. Choosing the right lens is now a data-led decision, not a gamble.
At Palazzo Manzoni, the entire pathway — biometry, topography, lens calculation and implant — is carried out on the Zeiss platform, with the same specialist from diagnosis through the final check.
Day by day
The first 24 hours, the first week and the months that follow
The evening after surgery
Blurred or fluctuating vision is normal, as is a mild gritty sensation. You go home shortly after the implant with your eye-drop schedule in hand.
The next morning
Most patients already notice useful vision, which continues to clear over the following days. The first check confirms that everything is progressing as expected.
The first week
Vision refines and the lens’s alignment on its calculated axis is checked at the first follow-up: this is the detail that makes the difference with a toric IOL.
The first month
Stability is reached: the lens is fixed on its axis and the base design — monofocal or premium — delivers its full performance.
3 to 6 months
The refractive result stabilises fully. A final check documents the outcome and completes the pathway — while we remain available for any questions.
Honest trade-offs
What a toric IOL
does not do
Every lens has its trade-offs, and being honest about them matters as much as surgical technique.
It does not change the nature of the base design: a toric multifocal remains a multifocal, with its own trade-offs. In a small percentage of cases, the lens may rotate in the first few days: if the rotation is significant, it is repositioned in a short outpatient procedure.
As with any surgery, an implant is not risk-free: serious risks are uncommon and discussed individually during informed consent. Careful selection is the first safety measure.
Who leads the department
Dr. Andrea Russo
Ophthalmologist. Founder of Palazzo Manzoni. Specialist in laser refractive surgery, ICL and cataract surgery.
International surgical training
including Moorfields Eye Hospital in London
Academic research and teaching
Researcher at the University of Brescia, with 1,200+ scientific citations
Scientific societies
Fellow of the World College of Refractive Surgery (FWCRS), member of the American-European Congress of Ophthalmic Surgery (AECOS)
Inventor
Inventor of D-Eye, a smartphone-based retinal imaging device used in clinical practice around the world
15,000+
procedures performed
“Every pair of eyes tells a different story. Our role is to understand yours fully, explore every option that could improve your vision, and guide you with confidence toward the one that fits your life best.”
Patient stories
They were where
you are now
Glasses have been part of your life for years, or reading has started to slip away. These stories tell of the step that changed things.
Real experiences from patients who took the step
I wore glasses for 18 years. I had not realised how much I had been adapting until I opened my eyes the morning after surgery and saw the ceiling clearly for the first time.
I had only come to resolve my cataract. The specialist explained the multifocal lens option, and now I see better than I did at 50. I have not touched my reading glasses since.
Two clinics had told me laser was not possible for my prescription. At Palazzo Manzoni, they suggested an ICL, and now I see perfectly. I wish I had known this option existed sooner.
Alternatives
If this lens is not the right one,
it does not end here
No lens is universal: every eye and every life call for a different design. If the assessment points to another path, we will show it with the same clarity.
A “no” to a specific design is never a dead end: it is the beginning of the right recommendation.
→Multifocal IOL
Two focal points, distance and near: when reading without glasses is the priority.
→EDOF IOL
A continuous focal range and high contrast: the best night-time vision.
→Cataract surgery
When a cataract is the reason for surgery, opacity and lens are addressed together.
Your assessment will clarify which path is right.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
about toric versions
What is astigmatism?
It is a refractive error in which the cornea has different curvatures across its meridians, like a rugby ball rather than a football: light focuses at several points, leaving the image blurred or stretched at every distance.
When is a toric lens needed?
When corneal astigmatism exceeds the clinical threshold — indicatively 0.75–1 dioptre. Below this threshold it can be managed through incision location or a possible laser enhancement; above it, a toric lens is the right choice.
Which designs are available?
All of them: toric monofocal, toric multifocal, toric trifocal and toric EDOF. Astigmatism correction is added to the features of the chosen base design.
Can the lens move?
In a small percentage of cases, the lens may rotate in the first few days, reducing the corrective effect. This is why alignment is checked at the early follow-ups: if the rotation is significant, it is repositioned in a short outpatient procedure.
How is my lens calculated?
It is tailored to you: biometry and corneal topography measure the degree and axis of your eye’s astigmatism, and these maps determine the lens’s power and orientation. It is an individual calculation, eye by eye.
Does a toric lens cost more?
Yes, it costs more than the non-toric version of the same design, like every optical customisation. The written quote provided at the end of the appointment clearly distinguishes the items.
How long does the lens last?
For life: it does not wear out and does not need replacing. If the capsule behind the lens becomes cloudy over time, it can be resolved in a few minutes as an outpatient procedure with a YAG laser.
Is surgery painful?
No: the procedure uses eye drops only and takes around 10–15 minutes per eye, as day surgery. Mild discomfort or a gritty sensation in the first few hours is normal.
When can I return to my activities?
Useful vision returns in 24–48 hours; work and social life resume within a few days. Intense sports and swimming should wait a few weeks, according to your surgeon’s instructions.
How do I know if I am a candidate?
A complete diagnostic assessment tells us: biometry, corneal topography and retinal health. If your eyes do not need a toric IOL, we will tell you with the same clarity.
Take the next step
The next step
is a conversation
No commitment and no runaround: tell us what is troubling you and we will explain how we can help. Every consultation is personal and unhurried.
Address
Via dei Mille 14, 25122 Brescia, Italia
Phone
Opening hours
Mon-Fri 8:30-18:30 · Sat 9:00-13:00
01
Write to us or call us
Phone, WhatsApp, email or online booking: whichever you prefer.
02
Meet your specialist
An unhurried visit with the doctor who may perform your surgery; they will follow you through to the end.
03
Decide in your own time
Leave the visit with a clear picture and a shared plan. Whether and when remain your decision.
Scientific research
Dr. Andrea Russo co-authored a study on intraocular lens power calculation by ray tracing in complex eyes, published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine (2026). The team’s full list of publications is available on PubMed.
Content reviewed by Dr. Giulia Festa and Dr. Jacopo Zilioli, cataract surgeons at the Institute.