An intraocular lens, IOL, injector having a lever-driven plunger mechanism, the IOL injector comprising: an injector body having: a bore having a longitudinal axis extending from the proximal end of the injector body to a distal end of the injector body; a rail disposed on an interior wall of the injector body, the rail aligned with the longitudinal axis and extending into the bore; a plunger movably coupled within the injector body and aligned within the bore; a track disposed within the plunger, the track adapted to be axially slidably coupled with the rail and adapted to prevent rotation of the plunger around the longitudinal axis; characterized in that the IOL injector having a lever-driven plunger mechanism further comprises: a lever having a first end comprising a handle accessible to a user and a second end rotatably coupled to the injector body; a rack having one or more teeth, the rack coupled to the lever; a nut coupled with the injector body such that the nut is adapted to rotate around the plunger, but not move axially relative to the injector body, the nut disposed within the bore and having: an inner surface adapted to rotatably couple with the thread of the plunger; and an outer surface having one or more teeth disposed around a circumference of the outer surface and forming a pinion, the one or more teeth of the pinon adapted to mesh with the one or more teeth of the rack; wherein in response to a force applied to the handle: the lever is adapted to rotatably move from a resting position; the rack is adapted to move and mesh with the pinion disposed on the nut; the nut is adapted to rotate in a first rotational direction, and thereby rotatably move along the thread of the plunger; the track of the plunger is adapted to engage with the rail of the injector body and thereby prevent rotation of the plunger around the longitudinal axis; and in response, the plunger is adapted to move axially through the bore. an injector body having: a bore having a longitudinal axis extending from the proximal end of the injector body to a distal end of the injector body; a rail disposed on an interior wall of the injector body, the rail aligned with the longitudinal axis and extending into the bore; a bore having a longitudinal axis extending from the proximal end of the injector body to a distal end of the injector body; a rail disposed on an interior wall of the injector body, the rail aligned with the longitudinal axis and extending into the bore; a plunger movably coupled within the injector body and aligned within the bore; a track disposed within the plunger, the track adapted to be axially slidably coupled with the rail and adapted to prevent rotation of the plunger around the longitudinal axis; characterized in that the IOL injector having a lever-driven plunger mechanism further comprises: a lever having a first end comprising a handle accessible to a user and a second end rotatably coupled to the injector body; a rack having one or more teeth, the rack coupled to the lever; a nut coupled with the injector body such that the nut is adapted to rotate around the plunger, but not move axially relative to the injector body, the nut disposed within the bore and having: an inner surface adapted to rotatably couple with the thread of the plunger; and an outer surface having one or more teeth disposed around a circumference of the outer surface and forming a pinion, the one or more teeth of the pinon adapted to mesh with the one or more teeth of the rack; an inner surface adapted to rotatably couple with the thread of the plunger; and an outer surface having one or more teeth disposed around a circumference of the outer surface and forming a pinion, the one or more teeth of the pinon adapted to mesh with the one or more teeth of the rack; wherein in response to a force applied to the handle: the lever is adapted to rotatably move from a resting position; the rack is adapted to move and mesh with the pinion disposed on the nut; the nut is adapted to rotate in a first rotational direction, and thereby rotatably move along the thread of the plunger; the track of the plunger is adapted to engage with the rail of the injector body and thereby prevent rotation of the plunger around the longitudinal axis; and in response, the plunger is adapted to move axially through the bore. the lever is adapted to rotatably move from a resting position; the rack is adapted to move and mesh with the pinion disposed on the nut; the nut is adapted to rotate in a first rotational direction, and thereby rotatably move along the thread of the plunger; the track of the plunger is adapted to engage with the rail of the injector body and thereby prevent rotation of the plunger around the longitudinal axis; and in response, the plunger is adapted to move axially through the bore.