Cataract Surgery Experts

What are Cataracts?

Cataracts are changes in the lens of the eye that eventually cause cloudy vision. Eventually, the lenses of the eyes become so clouded over that the vision is entirely obscured, resulting in blindness.

Why Do Cataracts Develop?

Cataracts develop mainly due to age, with about 50% of all people having a cataract by the time they're age 65. By the time a patient reaches 75, they’re extremely likely to have at least one cataract. Diseases like diabetes are also a common cause of cataracts. Taking certain medications such as steroids on a long term basis may cause cataracts to develop, too. While quite rare, babies can have congenital cataracts. This occurs when the mother has an infectious disease like measles while pregnant.

What are the signs of cataracts?

People with cataracts typically notice that their vision is gradually growing dimmer and cloudier. More specifically, that can manifest itself as:

• Vision glare while driving at night
• An inability to see very bright colors
• A yellow cast when viewing images
• Instances of double vision
• Frequently changing prescriptions

How Does Cataract Surgery Work?

Cataract surgery is the best way -- and currently the only one -- to remedy cataracts from the eyes. The vast majority of cataract surgeries are highly successful, allowing patients to regain vision that they may have thought was lost forever. Cataract surgery is done as an outpatient surgery at our on-site surgery center.

Patients receive IV sedation to feel relaxed and comfortable and the eye is numbed so there is usually no pain during surgery. Most patients feel very comfortable as they recover from cataract surgery as well. Cataract surgery is a true marvel of modern medicine, changing someone's quality of life within a short time frame. Patients go home the same day after surgery and will be on eye drops usually for 3 weeks to recover from surgery. 

What are my options for cataract surgery?

Modern cataract surgery is a medical treatment that offers the opportunity to perform simultaneous refractive surgery. Refractive surgery means surgery to reduce the need for glasses. The medical treatment consists of the removal of a cloudy lens and implantation of a clear intraocular lens implant. Refractive cataract surgery uses advanced technology lenses (toric, extended depth of focus, or multifocal implants) and/or a femtosecond laser to reduce dependence on glasses after surgery. These additional refractive surgery options are not covered by your insurance and come at an additional out of pocket cost; however, many patients add these elective components to their surgery to improve their quality of vision and life.

Lens implant Options

Standard monofocal intraocular lenses covered through your insurance are single-vision lenses that do not correct astigmatism or presbyopia. There is a high likelihood you will need glasses for most activities after your surgery.

Advanced Technology Options

Panoptix intraocular lens is a trifocal lens, meaning you can see well at far, intermediate
(ex. computer), and near (ex. reading). The Panoptix is great for patients who really want
to reduce the need for glasses overall, but there is a slight chance of more visual side
effects such as glare and halo especially at night. Patients with significant eye conditions
do not do as well with trifocal lenses.

Vivity intraocular lens is an extended depth of focus lens, meaning it is very good at
distance, with the added benefit of helping you see intermediate (ex. computer). The
Vivity lens will still require over-the-counter reading glasses for reading fine printed
materials, however the benefit of the lens is that it gives you excellent distance and
intermediate with less chance of visual side effects of glare and halo. This lens is also
more appropriate for patients with other eye condition such as glaucoma, retinal issues,
or prior eye surgeries (LASIK, PRK, pterygium).

Toric intraocular lens is an astigmatism correcting lens meaning it can help give you the
best distance OR near vision without glasses. Toric lenses will help eliminate glasses for
either seeing far (ex. driving, watching TV) OR for near work such as reading. You can
decide if you want your vision without glasses to be focused for distance OR near. You
will wear glasses for the other activities, meaning if you choose to correct your vision for
distance you will not need glasses for distance, but will wear reading glasses for up close work.

Light Adjustable Lens  is a revolutionary intraocular lens (IOL) designed to be customized with non-invasive light treatments after cataract surgery. As the first IOL of its kind, the unique RxSight Light Adjustable Lens technology offers patients superior outcomes that consistently surpass the results achieved with non-adjustable IOLs as far as reaching focus goals. The RxSight Light Adjustable Lens is crafted from a special photosensitive material that can be precisely molded with UV light to change the shape and vision correction power of the lens. The vision customization process takes place in the weeks following cataract surgery, and adjustments are based on your vision correction needs, personal vision preferences, and lifestyle. A series UV-light treatments performed over 3-5 weeks are all that is required to optimize your vision with the RxSight Light Adjustable Lens. The treatments are painless and last approximately 90 seconds. Patients are loving the light adjustable lens.

Femtosecond laser can also be used to correct astigmatism. However,
correcting higher degrees of astigmatism requires the use of a toric lens implant.

Daytime Simulation of Lens Options

Nightime Simulation of Lens Options