A device for injecting an intraocular lens into an eye, comprises a tubular housing (125,710,810) having a longitudinal axis and a passageway along the longitudinal axis, and a plunger shaft (105,720,820) disposed within and moveable along the passageway of the body over an operating range. The tubular housing and the plunger shaft have frictional engaging features (720,730 820,830) configured to produce a varying plunging friction along the operating range to offset one or more changes in plunging resistance arising from injection of the lens into the eye. The frictional engaging features may comprise, an orifice (730,830) integral to or rigidly connected to the tubular housing (710,810) and a contoured surface on the plunger shaft (720,780) that frictionally engages the orifice as the plunger shaft is translated along the operating range.
