An intraocular lens (30) having focusing capabilities permitting focusing movement of the lens (30) in response to normal ciliary body (24) movement incident to changes in the distance between the eye and an object under observation is provided. The lens (30) is designed for surgical implantation within the capsule (20) of an eye (10) and includes an optic (32) and an optic positioning element (33) which cooperate to form the lens (30). Accommodation is achieved by relying upon the thickening and thinning of the optic (32) as a result of the normal retracting and contracting of the ciliary body (24) in response to the distance of an object from the viewer.