Since Harold Ridley recognised the potential of synthetic materials to replace the optical power of the cataractous crystalline lens in the late 1940s, IOL materials and optics have been developed to optimise stable and accurate visual correction, to increase the range of clear focus and restore eye focus, to protect the retina from damaging wavelengths of light and to reduce complications. This article reviews the technological developments that have been made and discusses the role of the optometrist in caring for patients who have received, or are about to receive, the most common surgical procedure in the developed world.