After a Cataract is Removed Because the clouded lens is removed in cataract surgery, some type of substitute or replacement lens is needed to restore vision. The IOL is implanted within the capsule, which provides permanent support for the lens. This is the most natural and preferred way of restoring vision. Because the IOL lies safely inside the eye, it is never handled or adjusted as one would for a contact lens. Most patients are good candidates for the implant.
Most patients have the device implanted during their surgery.
Those who have had cataract surgery without the IOL implant, and who later discover they cannot tolerate contact lenses or cataract glasses, have to be evaluated very carefully before a second operation for a lens implant is recommended. However, handling them is sometimes cumbersome, and not everyone is a good candidate. Patients with tremors, extreme nervousness, or dry eyes, for example, are not likely to wear contact lenses with much success. Today, hard contact lenses, soft lenses and extended wear soft lenses are available for persons who have had cataract surgery. They are still used today but seldomly because they are the least-preferred option.