Abstract: The inventive instrument is an improvement in a surgical instrument of the type having fingers to grasp a soft, foldable intraocular lens (IOL) for implantation in a human eye following removal of the cataractous lens. The IOL has a relatively thick optic body and a relatively thin optic edge having a contour. Each instrument finger is shaped to generally conform to such contour and contact the IOL along the thin edge. The combined thickness of the fingers and the thin edge is no greater than the thickness of the body of the folded IOL. For an IOL of the type having a circular contour,the fingers are crescent-shaped. The IOL may thereby be easily implanted through a narrower incision including such an incision of the scleral tunnel type.