An iris shield adapted and configured to be inserted through a surgical opening and into an anterior chamber of a living eye during a surgery, the anterior chamber having a circumference, an iris being disposed in, and extending about the circumference of, the anterior chamber, the iris having an outer edge, an inner edge, and an iris width between the iris outer edge and the iris inner edge, the iris shield comprising: (a) a flexible biocompatible polymeric sheet, having a first length, a first width, and a first thickness, the sheet, and correspondingly the iris shield, having an anterior side for facing frontwardly in the eye, and a posterior side for facing rearwardly in the eye, an inner edge extremity and an outer edge extremity, and a width between the inner edge extremity and the outer edge extremity; and (b) a retention flange extending from the biocompatible polymeric sheet adjacent the inner edge extremity, the retention flange being disposed on the posterior side of the biocompatible polymeric sheet, the retention flange having a second length extending along the first length of the flexible biocompatible polymeric sheet, a second width extending transverse to the second length, and a second thickness extending transverse to both the second length and the second width, the iris shield being suitable for being temporarily placed on the iris in the eye adjacent the surgical opening, and for thereby overlying a substantial portion of a circumference of the iris such that, when pressure inside the eye urges tissue of the iris toward the surgical opening during the surgery, the iris shield interferes with the iris tissue reaching the surgical opening, the iris shield being adapted and configured to being removed from the eye prior to completion of the surgery; the biocompatible polymeric sheet having first and second ends (16A, 16B), the iris shield further comprising first and second manipulation apertures (26A, 26B) proximate the first and second ends (16A, 16B), the manipulation apertures (26A, 26B) extending through the biocompatible polymeric sheet from the anterior side to the posterior side, characterized by comprising at least one eyelet (24A, 24B) substantially surrounding at least one of the first and second manipulation apertures (26A, 26B), a given eyelet (24A, 24B) having a third side corresponding to the anterior side of the biocompatible sheet, and a fourth side corresponding to the posterior side of the biocompatible polymeric sheet, the at least one eyelet (24A, 24B) having a first thickness between the third side and the fourth side, the biocompatible polymeric sheet having a main body portion extending generally from the at least one eyelet, the main body portion having a second thickness, the first thickness of the eyelet (24A, 24B) being greater than the second thickness of the main body portion. (a) a flexible biocompatible polymeric sheet, having a first length, a first width, and a first thickness, the sheet, and correspondingly the iris shield, having an anterior side for facing frontwardly in the eye, and a posterior side for facing rearwardly in the eye, an inner edge extremity and an outer edge extremity, and a width between the inner edge extremity and the outer edge extremity; and (b) a retention flange extending from the biocompatible polymeric sheet adjacent the inner edge extremity, the retention flange being disposed on the posterior side of the biocompatible polymeric sheet, the retention flange having a second length extending along the first length of the flexible biocompatible polymeric sheet, a second width extending transverse to the second length, and a second thickness extending transverse to both the second length and the second width, the iris shield being suitable for being temporarily placed on the iris in the eye adjacent the surgical opening, and for thereby overlying a substantial portion of a circumference of the iris such that, when pressure inside the eye urges tissue of the iris toward the surgical opening during the surgery, the iris shield interferes with the iris tissue reaching the surgical opening, the iris shield being adapted and configured to being removed from the eye prior to completion of the surgery; the biocompatible polymeric sheet having first and second ends (16A, 16B), the iris shield further comprising first and second manipulation apertures (26A, 26B) proximate the first and second ends (16A, 16B), the manipulation apertures (26A, 26B) extending through the biocompatible polymeric sheet from the anterior side to the posterior side, characterized by comprising at least one eyelet (24A, 24B) substantially surrounding at least one of the first and second manipulation apertures (26A, 26B), a given eyelet (24A, 24B) having a third side corresponding to the anterior side of the biocompatible sheet, and a fourth side corresponding to the posterior side of the biocompatible polymeric sheet, the at least one eyelet (24A, 24B) having a first thickness between the third side and the fourth side, the biocompatible polymeric sheet having a main body portion extending generally from the at least one eyelet, the main body portion having a second thickness, the first thickness of the eyelet (24A, 24B) being greater than the second thickness of the main body portion.