The lens in the eye lies behind the iris and the pupil. It works much like a camera lens. It focuses light onto the retina at the back of the eye, where an image is recorded. The lens also adjusts the eye’s focus, letting us see things clearly, both up close and far away. The lens is made of mostly water and protein. The protein is arranged in a precise way that keeps the lens clear and lets light pass through it.
But as we age, some of the protein may clump together and start to cloud a small area of the lens. This is a cataract. Over time, the cataract may grow larger and cloud more of the lens, making it harder to see.
In addition to normal aging, there are other risk factors that can contribute to the creation of cataracts. Other risk factors include:
The most common symptoms of a cataract are:
These symptoms also can be a sign of other eye problems. If you have any of these symptoms, please contact us.
Surgery is the only way to correct vision loss caused by cataracts. With cataracts, your vision will never improve and will degrade the longer left untreated. If left untreated, the cataract impairs vision completely. Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness in the world. The only solution is to remove the clouded lens and replace it with an artificial one.
The symptoms of early cataract may be improved with new eyeglasses, brighter lighting, anti-glare sunglasses, or magnifying lenses. These measures are temporary and surgery is the only effective treatment. Surgery involves removing the cloudy lens and replacing it with an artificial lens.
A cataract needs to be removed only when vision loss interferes with your everyday activities, such as driving, reading, or watching TV. You and our eye care professionals can make this decision together. Once you understand the benefits and risks of surgery, you can make an informed decision about whether cataract surgery is right for you.
In most cases, delaying cataract surgery will not cause long-term damage to your eye or make the surgery more difficult. You do not have to rush into surgery.
Sometimes a cataract should be removed even if it does not cause problems with your vision. For example, a cataract should be removed if it prevents examination or treatment of another eye problem, such as age-related macular degeneration or diabetic retinopathy.
If you have cataracts in both eyes that require surgery, the surgery will be performed on each eye at separate times, usually four weeks apart.
With laser cataract surgery, the surgeon creates a sophisticated 3-D image of the eye. The goal is to create an incision with a specific location, depth, and length. This is important not only for accuracy but also for increasing the likelihood the incision will be self-sealing at the end of the procedure.
A capsule that is very thin and clear surrounds the eye’s natural lens. In cataract surgery, the front portion of the capsule is removed in a step called the capsulotomy.
Studies have shown that laser capsulotomies enable better centering of the lens replacement (intraocular lens). The position of the lens is a significant factor in determining final visual outcome.
Reduced capsule breakage
After the capsulotomy the surgeon now has access to the cataract to remove it. The cataract laser softens the cataract as it breaks it up into smaller pieces. This makes it easier for the surgeon to remove the cataract. The reduced energy required to remove the cataract may make it safer to the inner eye and reduce complication.
Each patient’s vision is unique. We will create an affordable custom surgical plan that may incorporate astigmatism correction, multi focus lens replacements, or laser-assisted surgery.
TRADITIONAL Lens Replacement
CUSTOM Lens Replacement
FULL FOCUS Lens Replacement
|Cataract Surgery Options||Covered by Medical Insurance?||Laser-Assisted and Laser Verification||Need for Glasses After Surgery for Distance?||Need Glasses After Surgery for Reading/Near?||Astigmatism Correction Option||Monovision Option?|
|CUSTOM||NO||YES||UNLIKELY||LIKELY (Unless Mono)||YES||YES|
|*Co Pays/Deductables Apply|