Lens Pathology, Classification, Methods of Treatment

This article reviews the pathology of the lens in a structured manner: its normal biology and the mechanisms of opacification; the classification of lens pathology by etiology, anatomical location, and maturity, including the standardized Lens Opacities Classification System III; the clinical presentation and diagnostic evaluation; and the full spectrum of treatment, from optical correction and risk-factor modification through the modern surgical armamentarium of small-incision phacoemulsification, femtosecond laser–assisted cataract surgery, and manual small-incision cataract surgery, to the expanding world of intraocular lens technology including monofocal, toric, extended depth-of-focus, and multifocal designs.