Over the past few decades, the possibility of independence from spectacles and contact lenses by means of intraocular lens (IOL) implants has resulted in an exponential increase in the number of refractive lens exchange (RLE) and phakic IOL (pIOL) procedures performed. Today there are over 18 million IOL procedures performed worldwide each year (Market Scope LLC 2011). Increased awareness has led to raised and often unrealistic expectations. Therefore it is incumbent upon optometrists to become familiar with the different treatment options now available.