cataracts

Cataracts form with aging and are most common among people over the age of 60. With aging, the proteins of the natural lens begin to deteriorate and cloud your vision. As the cloudiness progresses, it forms a cataract. As the cataract matures, the retina receives less light which in turn distorts and blurs vision. Fortunately, cataracts can be removed through surgery and replaced with an artificial lens.

The most common noticeable effect of a cataract is blurry, cloudy or hazy vision. This symptom may affect only a small portion of your field of vision at first, but will likely spread to the rest of your lens over time. Other symptoms of cataract growth include: a dulling of normally bright colors, increased glare or halos from headlights, the sun, and other light sources and poor night vision.

A cataract can be removed through surgery which replaces the bad lens with an intraocular lens, or IOL. We use the most advanced implants available including:  Toric IOL, Aspheric IOL and Crytalens.

Cataract Surgery

Cataract surgery involves removing the eye's cloudy natural lens and replacing it with an artificial lens. The process of removing the bad lens is quick and very efficient. Cataract surgeries are performed by using phacoemulsification.  This process uses ultrasound energy to gently break up the lens so that it can be easily removed from inside the eye.

Occasionally, following cataract surgery, a membrane behind the lens may become cloudy causing a "secondary cataract" to form. This can occur within a few months after surgery, or it may take years. If this cloudiness develops and interferes with your vision, we may recommend treatment using the YAG laser. YAG laser treatment emits a microscopic light that can help to clear your vision.

It is very important to follow your doctor’s advice prior to surgery regarding the use of medications that can affect the success of your surgery. On the day of your surgery, your eyes will be treated with numbing drops. Most patients prefer a light sedation in addition to numbing drops.  Your surgeon will then make a very small incision in the eye and use an ultrasound wand to break up the tissue of the lens. After removing the original lens pieces, the intraocular lens will be inserted and secured in place. The entire cataract surgery process only takes about 20 minutes.