AcrySof ReSTOR® apodized diffractive IOL

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IOLs & the History of Lenses

Brief history of IOLs

The evolution of cataract surgery took a giant step forward in 1949, when an English eye doctor named Harold Ridley developed and implanted the first intraocular lens. This lens was designed to imitate the natural human lens and was made of a hard plastic called Plexiglas*, or polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA).

While there are several different types of intraocular lenses

Intraocular lens (IOL): An artificial lens that is implanted in the eye to replace the eye's clouded crystalline lens during cataract surgery.

, all IOLs share a common basic construction-they typically consist of a round lens (called the optic

Lens optic: The round central portion of the IOL that serves as the corrective lens.

) and two arms (called haptics

Lens haptics: Two arms on the IOL that help keep the lens in place and centered in the eye.

), which keep the lens in place and centered in the eye. Since 1949, different materials have been used to make IOLs.

Today, the most widely used IOL materials include PMMA, silicone, and a soft, foldable acrylic called AcrySof® IOL material.

PMMA and AcrySof® lenses have similar properties, but with one major difference-PMMA forms a rigid lens, while AcrySof® lenses are flexible. This means that AcrySof® lenses can be folded and inserted into the eye through a small incision, where it gently unfolds into its permanent position. These smaller incisions often do not require sutures, allowing for faster recovery with better results.

AcrySof® lenses were the first to use foldable material that was specifically designed for use in the human eye as an IOL. AcrySof® lenses have been available since 1994. Due to their excellent safety and effectiveness profile, they have become the most frequently implanted lenses in cataract procedures worldwide.

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