The first artificial intraocular lens (IOL) was implanted in 1949 by Sir Harold Ridley, London. This event was a giant leap forward for the development of modern IOLs that are now used in the treatment of cataract world-wide.
Over the years many significant improvements in IOL technology have increased the safety and efficacy of IOL implantation. Today most IOLs can be implanted through small incisions and the optical quality has improved to high levels. The modern history of IOL technology now covers spheric, aspheric, bifocal, multifocal, pseudo-accommodative, toric, phakic and other IOL types. The overall aim of these IOLs is to optimize the visual function and to free the spectacle dependence after surgery.
