The History of the Modern Intraocular Lens

The editor-in-chief of "Ocular Surgery News", Joseph Hoffman, tells the story of the birth and evolution of the modern intraocular lens (IOL). He starts with the difficult beginning faced by Harold Ridley in London when he first implanted the IOL, and details the history all the way through to the current generation of foldable and multifocal IOLs. He discusses the failed US introduction of the IOL in the 1950s, its renaissance in the 1960s and the eventual triumph over the opposition of Ralph Nader in the 1970s. The book follows Thomas Mazzocco's creation of the first commercial foldable IOL and Charles Kelman's development of phaco, which made small-incision phaco and implant surgery possible even as Congressional and press investigations into alleged fraud by eye surgeons were dragging down the image of the profession. Also included are a glossary of key terms and a section of notes providing source citations.