Cataract Surgery

A cataract is a common condition that causes a clouding of the eye’s natural lens, and affects millions of people each year, including more than half of all Americans over the age of 65. Cloudiness develops as a result of a buildup of protein in the lens.

Cataracts cause a progressive, painless loss of vision. The lens clouds naturally as we age, causing people over the age of 65 to see a gradual reduction of vision. However, cataracts are not considered part of the natural aging process and are a serious condition that requires prompt medical attention. The exact cause of cataracts is unknown, although it may be a result of injury, certain medications, illnesses (such as diabetes), prolonged exposure to ultraviolet light and smoking.

Diagnosing Cataracts

Your doctor may perform a series of tests in order to diagnose a cataract. A dilated eye exam will be performed to test the vision and to examine the condition of the lens and other parts of the eye. Your doctor may also perform tonometry, a procedure that measures the pressure in the eye.

Symptoms of Cataracts

Patients with cataracts often do not experience any symptoms when the condition first develops. Cataracts will continue to progress with no apparent pain, although patients may experience:

• Blurred or hazy vision
• Double vision
• Poor vision in bright light
• Seeing halos around lights
• Poor vision at night
• Yellowish tinged vision
• Frequent changes in eyeglasses or contact lens prescription

Treatment of Cataracts

If visual impairment begins to interfere with your ability to read, work or do the things you enjoy, you may want to consider cataract surgery to restore your vision. Cataract surgery is the most commonly performed surgical procedure in the US, and can be performed quickly and easily with a success rate of over 90 percent and a minimal risk of complications. Our outstanding staff of nurses and Board Certified Anesthesiologists are dedicated to making the surgical experience as safe and comfortable as possible for each and every patient.

Cataract Surgery

Cataract surgery is a minimally invasive procedure that involves numbing the eyes with anesthesia and then making a tiny 2.75 mm incision into which an ultrasonic probe is inserted. The probe breaks up, or emulsifies, the cloudy lens into tiny pieces and then suctions them out of the eye. Once the cloudy lens has been removed, a new artificial lens is implanted into the eye. This lens is known as an intraocular lens (IOL), and can often be inserted through the same incision that the old lens was removed from.

Surgery usually takes only 15 minutes to perform at our certified outpatient surgery facility, Vision One Laser & Surgery Center, and is painless for most patients. After the procedure, a patch may be placed over the eye and you will be asked to rest for a while. Patients can usually return home within 30 minutes of their procedure, but will need someone to drive them home. For the next few days, you may experience itching, mild discomfort, fluid discharge and sensitivity to light and touch. Your doctor may prescribe eye drops to help the healing process and to reduce the risk of infection.

At Levin & Luminais Eye Associates, we provide custom cataract surgery to ensure that each and every patient achieves the best possible vision through the use of premium IOLs. We offer several different multifocal IOLs to help patients achieve full vision correction at near, intermediate and far distances and even correct astigmatism as well, including:

• ReSTOR®
• ReZoom®
• Crystalens®
• Acrysof® Toric

These FDA-approved lenses are ideal for cataract patients who also suffer from presbyopia and wish to enjoy full-range clear vision, as previous lenses could only provide singular vision correction. They are also known as accommodating lenses, as they can easily accommodate different focusing lengths for seamless vision correction. Many patients can reduce or even eliminate the need for eyeglasses or contact lenses with multifocal IOLs. Your doctor will work with you to decide which type of lens is best to help you enjoy long-lasting, clear vision.

Risks and Complications

If left untreated, cataracts will worsen over time and may lead to permanent vision loss or even blindness. It is important to see your eye doctor regularly in order to detect cataracts as early as possible and to plan an effective treatment method.

Although cataract surgery is considered safe, there are certain risks associated with any surgery. Some of these risks may include pain, infection, swelling and bleeding. Most patients undergo this procedure without any complications.

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