Cataracts
If your vision has become blurry, cloudy, or dim, or objects are not as bright or colorful as they used to be, you may have developed a cataract in one or both eyes. Many people say vision with cataracts is similar to looking through a dirty car windshield or a fogged-up window.
Since cataracts develop gradually over time, you may not notice any changes in your vision at first. As cataracts progress, you may find they interfere with daily activities such as reading, watching TV, playing golf, or driving.
Ultimately, cataract surgery is the best way to achieve clear vision. There is no medical treatment to reverse or prevent the development of cataracts. Once a cataract develops, the only way to see clearly again is to have it removed and replaced with an intraocular lens (IOL).
Advanced Eye Care, SC is proud to offer the latest in cataract surgery technology and advanced lens options.
What are cataracts?
Cataracts are accumulations of protein that build up within the lens of the eye as we age, which results in blurry vision. The lens is a transparent structure located behind the iris, the colored portion of your eye. The primary function of the lens is to bend rays of light to form a clear image on the retina. A cloudy lens can cause vision problems that disrupt daily activities and affect your quality of life.
Cataract Symptom Checker
What to Expect from your Cataract Surgery
Cataract surgery typically follows a straightforward process. Understanding the Advanced Eye Care journey—from diagnosis to recovery—can help you achieve the best possible outcome.
What happens before cataract surgery?
Cataract surgery becomes necessary when your vision interferes with daily activities and cannot be improved with glasses. Once your treating optometrist or ophthalmologist has diagnosed you with cataracts, you can schedule your Cataract Evaluation with Advanced Eye Care and begin your Tear TuneUp.
In preparation for your Cataract Evaluation, you’ll complete a Tear TuneUp to optimize the health of your ocular surface. About one week before your appointment, you’ll receive a patient education call to review your options and ask questions.
At your Cataract Evaluation appointment, you will: undergo diagnostic testing, meet with your surgeon for a comprehensive dilated exam, make decisions about your desired vision outcome, and meet with your surgical coordinator to schedule your surgery and post-operative appointments.
What happens during cataract surgery?
Cataract surgery usually takes 10 to 20 minutes and is performed under local anesthetic to numb the eye area. Your surgeon will make a tiny incision on the surface of your eye—so small that stitches are rarely needed. The cloudy lens will then be removed through a small tube. Once the cataract is gone, a new artificial lens will be put into your eye.
What happens after cataract surgery?
You should have someone available to drive you home the day of the surgery. Your vision may be slightly blurry immediately after surgery, but it typically improves significantly within a day or two. Most patients can resume normal activities—such as showering, driving, and working—within 24 hours. You should always wear protective sunglasses while outside.
Follow-up appointments are scheduled at 1 day, 1 week, and 1 month after surgery. These may be with your surgeon, one of their associates, or your referring optometrist. Your one-month visit may include a refraction and the option to order glasses.
If you’ve chosen a customizable Light Adjustable Lens, you’ll continue with Personalized Vision Appointments to fine-tune your best-corrected vision.
Glaucoma Treatment During Cataract Surgery
For patients with glaucoma, cataract surgery may include minimally invasive procedures to treat both conditions at once. This combined approach can reduce exposure to anesthesia and decrease dependence on daily glaucoma medications. If you’ve been diagnosed with glaucoma, your surgeon will discuss whether this option is right for you.
See the World Through Different Lenses
Click the blue circles below to simulate vision before and after cataract surgery. Explore the difference between standard and lifestyle lens options to see how each could enhance your visual clarity!
Lens Choices
Basic Lens
For more than 30 years, doctors have treated cataracts by replacing them with a conventional IOL, which allows you to focus clearly at one distance only. Typically, patients would choose to have the doctor aim for the best distance vision with the understanding that glasses would still be needed for close work, such as reading.
Multifocal Lens
Multifocal lenses work by using various optical zones on the surface of the lens. These optical zones have different powers which bring into focus your vision at multiple distances – near, intermediate, and distance. A multifocal lens offers you the best chance at freedom from glasses, though you may be more comfortable with readers at very near distances or in dim lighting.
Astigmatism Correction
For patients with astigmatism who are having cataract surgery, you now have an additional option — an IOL that makes it possible to treat the cataract and correct your astigmatism at the same time.
Light Adjustable Lenses
Light Adjustable Lenses (LALs) are a significant advancement in cataract surgery, providing a level of precision that traditional intraocular lenses (IOLs) cannot match. Unlike standard IOLs, LALs can be fine-tuned after implantation through a specialized light treatment, allowing for adjustments that enhance your vision. This personalized approach ensures that your eyesight meets your individual needs, resulting in optimal clarity and satisfaction.
If you want to learn more about the life changing procedures involved in modern cataract surgery, we will be happy to answer all your questions. Although most insurance companies cover the cost for removal of your cataract, no insurance company will pay the additional amount charged for advanced technology lenses or femtosecond cataract surgery. If you are interested in any of these products or services, please understand that you will pay an additional fee per eye.
