Preface

We are living in exciting times. The field of IOL has moved forward significantly since the first IOLs that Sir Harold Ridley implanted back in the early 50^th. We can guarantee an excellent far uncorrected vision to our patients in most cases where no other ophthalmic pathology exists. The field of premium IOL and special intraocular devices is the new frontier. With advances in surgical technology, IOL power calculation and patients leading a more active lifestyle well into their seventies and beyond, cataract surgery can no longer be considered a functional procedure to remove an opacified lens, and visual acuity alone can no longer be considered the sole criterion of surgical success. As cataract surgery has evolved from a sight-saving operation to a refractive procedure, quality of vision and optical outcomes have become of crucial importance, with the goal being to improve not only acuity, but also quality of life. Lower order visual aberrations such as astigmatism can be effectively reduced by a combination of spectacle correction, corneal surface modification and/or specialized IOLs, improving quality of vision in pseudophakic patients to a great degree. Range of vision can be addressed with multifocal and accommodative IOLs, higher order aberration can be treated with aspheric IOLs, and extra-protection for the blue light is being promised by the blue blocking IOLs. Attempt to implant the IOLs trough a smaller and smaller corneal incisions focusing on lowering the induced astigmatism. The advances in the IOL field are not focuses only to premium IOL. Special cases like aphakia and end stage AMD also get attention and special solutions.

In this book we have tried to summarize the up today knowledge and to base it on evidence base medicine as much as possible.

We hope that you will find this book a useful tool in understanding and practicing premium and special intraocular devices.