Cataract Surgery
Except for unusual situations, a cataract operation is indicated only when you are not satisfied with your vision due to loss of detail or to glare produced by the cataract. You must remember that the natural lens within your own eye, even with a slight cataract, may have some advantages over any man-made lens.
After your doctor has told you that you have a cataract, you and your doctor are the only ones who can determine if or when you should have a cataract operation based on your own visual needs and medical considerations. You may decide not to have a cataract operation at this time. If you decide to have an operation, the surgeon will replace your natural lens with an intraocular lens (IOL) to restore your vision. This is a small artificial lens, usually made of plastic, silicone, or acrylic material, surgically and permanently implanted inside the eye. Objects are seen at their normal size. Conventional eyeglasses (not thick cataract or aphakic spectacles) may be prescribed after IOL implantation to achieve best possible vision.
If you have previously had cataract surgery and an IOL was not implanted, it is likely that an IOL can be placed in the eye at this time. This would be done to avoid needing cataract glasses or strong contact lenses.
The Procedure
The procedure is performed in our own custom designed eye surgery center under topical anesthesia, requiring no eye injections. Typically, you will be asked to arrive an hour prior to your procedure, and you will be allowed to leave after a short period of observation following your procedure. The procedure itself usually takes less than ten minutes. An innovative option offered by this practice is the OptiPlus ORA ™ System a proven state-of-the-art analysis that provides your surgeon with an unprecedented new level of valuable information about your eye. And it’s on-demand, during the procedure, which is exactly when it is needed the the most. When the OptiPlus ORA ™ System is included as part of your procedure you can have the confidence of knowing that your surgeon has the information needed to optimize your visual outcomes.
- OptiPlus allows your surgeon to assess the quality of your vision during your cataract procedure.
- OptiPlus will guide your surgeon and provide you with the opportunity for optimal outcomes.
- Whether you’ve had LASIK or have astigmatism or any other visual error, OptiPlus can help you potentially eliminate your need for eyeglasses after your procedure.
Removing the Cataract
To remove your cataract, our doctor will make a tiny, 1/8-inch incision to remove your lens from its capsule within the eye. Next, the surgeon will insert a flexible intraocular lens or “IOL,” a lightweight, clear synthetic lens, through the same incision, placing it into the remaining lens capsule. An IOL replaces the focusing power of the eye’s natural lens. Because this procedure is performed through a very small incision, your eye will be able to heal rapidly with little or no discomfort. Vision is improved immediately in most cases, and is expected to improve in the weeks following the procedure.
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