As reported by Market Scope1 and highlighted in our top news story this month, the number of IOL procedures performed globally is expected to rise to 30.3 million by 2021. Representing a compounded annual growth rate of 3.6%, it is no surprise that this upsurge in IOL procedure volumes will directly affect the IOL market. The Market Scope report indicates that more multifocal IOL designs will become available, as will a greater variety of toric, multifocal toric, and accommodating toric IOLs and new accommodating IOLs with greater accommodative ranges. Also expected are IOLs with improved aspheric, wavefront, and extended depth of focus designs, lenses that can be adjusted postoperatively, and IOLs with optics that are glistening-free.
So, in other words, cataract surgeons will soon have even more IOLs to choose from than those already available. Of course, generally speaking, a deeper pool of accessible IOL technologies is desirable, as it can increase the likelihood that the best lens is selected for each patient. And, with enhanced optic designs and other lens improvements, there is a chance that the visual outcomes after IOL implantation will get even better than they are today. These developments are a win-win for patients and surgeons alike, as happy patients means less time spent on postoperative care and more chance for word-of-mouth referrals.
Even if all of this is true, there is bound to be the occasional stubborn patient or challenging case in which IOL selection is nearly impossible. Patients who request a certain IOL that may not necessarily work for them, patients who have previously undergone complicated or uncomplicated LASIK and RK, and patients with a history of ocular injury, to name a few, can be difficult cases to navigate and determine the best choice of IOL. In the following pages, seven surgeons recount situations in which they felt IOL selection was challenging. By getting to know each patient and walking through the steps taken in IOL selection and patient care, each surgeon reveals lessons learned and offers a plethora of pearls that you can hopefully recall the next time you are perplexed by IOL selection.
—Laura Straub, Editor-in-Chief
1. 2016 IOL Report: A Global Market Analysis for 2015 to 2021. Market Scope. https://market-scope.com/products-page/cataract-reports/2015-comprehensive-report-on-the-global-iol-market/. Accessed May 26, 2016.
