A two-day event in London on November 28-29 held by the UK and Ireland Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the intraocular lens (IOL).
Professor Paul Ursell, president of the society, said: ‘The IOL, an artificial lens that replaces the eye's natural lens removed during cataract surgery, has transformed the landscape of eye surgery, becoming one of the most significant medical advancements of the 20th century.’
The IOL was designed by Sir Harold Ridley together with John Pike of Rayner, a British ophthalmic company, and John Holt of ICI. It was made from polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), which was used in Spitfire and Hurricane windshields, because shards remained inert when they lodged in the eyes of pilots.
On November 29, 1949, the first implantation of an IOL by Sir Ridley took place at St Thomas’ Hospital in London.
Ophthalmologists from across the globe will attend the celebratory event where topics such as robotic surgery, artificial intelligence and lens design will be discussed.