The availability of premium IOL technologies has skyrocketed in Europe, and some cataract surgeons have taken to using these lenses relatively routinely. In most instances, these surgeons have reported good postoperative outcomes and patient satisfaction. As a consequence, patients have come to expect that, nowadays, restoration of vision without spectacles is a mainstay of the procedure.

What patients often do not realize, however, is that a lot more than simply implanting a premium IOL is required of surgeons and their staffs in order for patients to achieve such stellar results. If patients are to truly obtain the refractive outcomes afforded by premium IOL technologies, it seems as if surgeons also have to consider embracing the use of complementary technologies, including state-of-the-art diagnostic devices, surgical planning software, and other integrated surgical platforms.

In this cover focus, several surgeons who have had success with premium IOLs and their complementary technologies provide us with the insights one might need to achieve excellent postoperative outcomes and to help ensure a low enhancement rate. Other contributors outline the European trends in premium IOL use and debate the hot topic of copayments for premium lens technologies. n

— Laura Straub, Editor-in-Chief