Background: Opacification of the lens of the eye (cataract) is usually due to aging. It is a painless, progressive condition that affects contrast and color perception and alters refraction, leading to visual loss that may be total. In cataract surgery, the turbid lens is replaced by an artificial lens. An estimated 600 000 to 800 000 such procedures are performed in Germany each year.
Methods: This review is based on pertinent publications retrieved by a selective search in PubMed, including meta-analyses, Cochrane reviews, and randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs).
Results: Cataract is the most common reversible cause of blindness around the world (approximately 95 million people). The surgical replacement of a turbid lens with an artificial lens is usually carried out under local anesthesia. The standard technique for fragmentation of the nucleus of the lens is ultrasonic phacoemulsification. RCTs have not shown the superiority of the femtosecond laser over phacoemulsification for this purpose so far. The spectrum of artificial intraocular lenses, aside from the conventional type with a single focus, include lenses with multiple foci, extended-depth-of-focus (EDOF) lenses, and astigmatism-correcting lenses.
Conclusion: In Germany, cataract surgery is usually performed on an outpatient basis under local anesthesia. Artificial lenses with various additional functions are available nowadays; the choice of lens depends on the needs of the individual patient. Patients must be adequately informed about the advantages and disadvantages of the different lens systems.