Dr. Elena Farrell Ophthalmology

Did you know that the first intraocular lens (IOL) implants for cataract surgery were made out of the same material as 1940s airplane windshields? Sir Nicholas... Harold Lloyd Ridley (1906-2001) joined the Emergency Medical Service in 1939 when England declared war on Germany. During the Battle of Britain the following year, Ridley came into contact with Royal Air Force pilots who suffered from eye injuries caused by, among other things, fragments of airplane windshields and canopies made of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). Ridley noted that the splinters of acrylic did not cause the inflammatory rejection that glass splinters caused. After the war, Sir Ridley used his observations to design the world’s first intraocular lens implant, or IOL. On Nov. 29, 1949, Dr. Ridley performed the first implant surgery. Initial reaction was extremely negative. Many tried to correct Ridley’s design, creating posterior chamber, anterior chamber and iris fixation lenses. The IOL finally received FDA approval in 1980. The IOL shown here is one of many in our collection ranging in age from c. 1950 to present day. Learn more historical ophthalmological facts at our new museum. Get notifications about our virtual events and when we plan to open. aao.org/museum-mailing.

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