Replacement Lenses

Once the cataract removal part of the procedure is completed, your surgeon will have to replace it with a permanent, artificial lens called an intraocular lens, or IOL.

There are two types of IOLs available - nonfoldable and foldable. Nonfoldable lenses are made of PMMA, a hard plastic material first used as an IOL in 1949. Foldable lenses are made of either silicone or acrylic.

With the recent advance of foldable IOLs, lenses can be implanted through the same small incision that is created in the phaco procedure. These IOLs are made of a flexible material allowing them to be folded for implantation. Once inside the eye, the lens unfolds and returns to its original shape. Several different IOL materials are available today.

Flat AcrySof Lens

The latest advance in foldable IOLs is the AcrySof Acrylic Foldable Intraocular Lens. AcrySof is the first foldable IOL available today that is not made of silicone. In fact, it is the only lens made of a material developed specifically for use as an IOL. AcrySof is made of an inert material that is very compatible with eye tissue. This compatibility contributes to the excellent long-term visual results experienced with implantation of the AcrySof Acrylic Foldable IOL.