{"id":3569,"date":"2026-07-31T16:11:10","date_gmt":"2026-07-31T14:11:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.first-sight.ch\/?post_type=glossary&#038;p=3569"},"modified":"2026-07-31T16:12:57","modified_gmt":"2026-07-31T14:12:57","slug":"intraocular-lens-iol","status":"publish","type":"glossary","link":"https:\/\/www.first-sight.ch\/en\/glossar\/intraocular-lens-iol\/","title":{"rendered":"Intraocular Lens (IOL)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>An intraocular lens (IOL) is an artificial lens that is inserted into the eye during <a href=\"https:\/\/www.first-sight.ch\/en\/angebot\/adult-cataract-surgery\/\">cataract surgery<\/a> to replace the removed natural lens. It takes over the refractive power of the body's own lens and thus enables significantly better vision after the procedure.<\/p>\n<h2>What is an intraocular lens?<\/h2>\n<p>The natural lens of the eye focuses the incoming light so that a sharp image forms on the retina. When this lens is clouded, for example by a cataract, it must be removed surgically. The intraocular lens is implanted in its place and takes over the optical function.<\/p>\n<p>Intraocular lenses are made of a transparent plastic material (e.g. acrylic or silicone), are a few millimeters in size, and remain permanently in the eye.<\/p>\n<h2>How is an IOL inserted?<\/h2>\n<p>The procedure is carried out as part of a cataract operation. The clouded natural lens is broken up by ultrasound and aspirated (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.first-sight.ch\/en\/glossar\/phacoemulsification\/\">phacoemulsification<\/a>). The folded IOL is then inserted into the eye through a small incision, where it unfolds and is fixed in the intended position. The entire procedure usually takes only a few minutes.<\/p>\n<h2>Alternatives to the IOL<\/h2>\n<p>If no intraocular lens is inserted, for example in very young children, the missing refractive power can be compensated by other means:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Contact lenses:<\/strong> often the preferred solution, especially in infants and toddlers<\/li>\n<li><strong>Strong spectacle lenses:<\/strong> possible, but often impractical due to the high power<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>IOL in children: special considerations<\/h2>\n<p>The use of intraocular lenses in children differs from that in adults in several respects:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Growth-related changes:<\/strong> the child's eye is still growing, which means the required lens power changes over the years. The IOL is therefore inserted with a certain \"undercorrection\" that takes the expected eye growth into account.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Stronger inflammatory reaction:<\/strong> children's eyes often react to the procedure with more inflammation than adults' eyes. Intensive aftercare with anti-inflammatory drops is therefore necessary.<\/li>\n<li><strong>After-cataract:<\/strong> in children, a clouding behind the lens (after-cataract) forms particularly often and may require additional treatment.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Glaucoma risk:<\/strong> after cataract surgery in childhood, there is a lifelong increased risk of raised intraocular pressure. Regular check-ups are therefore essential.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The decision whether to implant an IOL in a child or to first fit a contact lens depends on the age, the eye anatomy, and the individual circumstances, and is discussed carefully with the parents.<\/p>\n<h2>Aftercare<\/h2>\n<p>After the IOL implantation, regular eye check-ups are important in order to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Monitor visual development<\/li>\n<li>Detect inflammation or after-cataract early<\/li>\n<li>Check the intraocular pressure<\/li>\n<li>Adjust the glasses prescription<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In children, the operation is usually followed by amblyopia therapy (patch or drops), since the brain has to learn to see sharply with the operated eye.<\/p>\n<h2>Our advice<\/h2>\n<p>The decision for or against an IOL implantation, especially in children, requires careful individual consideration. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages in detail with your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.first-sight.ch\/en\/\">ophthalmologist<\/a> so that you can make an informed decision.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>An intraocular lens (IOL) is an artificial lens that is inserted into the eye during cataract surgery to replace the removed natural lens. It takes over the refractive power of the body&#8217;s own lens and thus enables significantly better vision after the procedure. What is an intraocular lens? The natural lens of the eye focuses [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_wpce_doc":"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