[Development and future prospects of cataract surgery].

In recent decades, enormous progress has been made in the development of intraocular lenses (IOLs) and cataract surgery. Before the development of the IOL, a cataract would cause impairment or loss of vision. Nowadays, cataract extractions are among the most frequently performed surgeries worldwide. The current cataract procedure is associated with a very low incidence of intra- and postoperative complications and satisfactory postoperative visual outcomes. Due to the increasing number of cataract surgeries performed annually, and an ageing population, development of IOLs and surgical techniques continues apace.