What is important in present and future IOL materials & design?

IOL progress has followed 2 main lines: optical performance,and materials/design. This talk reviews their impact and possible future trends.IOL optics evolved from spheric monofocal to aspheric (+optionally toric) to multifocal; from refractive to diffractive multifocality, currently with several choices regarding add, bi‐ vs trifocality, etc. Additionally a number of designs attempt to reproduce the lens accommodative mechanism. However,none of the available options truly restores the physiological accommodation of the youth. The main drive for the evolution of IOL materials and designs has been implantability through an ever‐decreasing incision width. While this may have created some compromises regarding materials and optical quality/stability, it seems unlikely that this process could revert. Next major issue is the prevention of PCO. Aspects as the posterior square edges and hydrophobic materials are widely assumed as useful to prevent PCO. However, a general proof is difficult due to the numerous factors involved (IOl & non‐IOL) and the great variability of designs. IOL materials durability lags in a 3rd position of interest (apart from cases of IOL opacification) but is likely an emerging topic for the near future.