Correcting Cataracts through Surgery

A cataract, a condition of one or both eyes, results in vision impairment in the form of cloudiness through the affected lens. This condition, although not completely threatening to vision, is one that can affect quality of life if not surgically corrected at some point in time, as glasses, contact lenses, and laser treatments such as LASIK have no impact on the cataract.

Most of the time, a cataract will form as a part of the aging process, with many of our patients being over the age of fifty. Fortunately, this is not a condition that one must rush to correct for fear of losing eyesight. When needed, cataract surgery has been shown to be one of the safest, and one of the most effective corrective procedures performed today. Every patient is different, however, and those with accompanying conditions such as macular degeneration or diabetic retinopathy may experience slightly different results than the patient with no other eye conditions.

In many cases, our Orange County cataract surgery treatment results in a decreased need for eyeglasses in addition to the elimination of cloudy vision. This is in part due to the comprehensive eye exam performed before the procedure. During this pre-operative visit, vision is checked in order to plan for the most suitable intraocular lens (IOL). Each IOL is created based on the patient’s specific vision to produce as close to 20/20 as possible.

Cataract surgery is typically performed in an outpatient surgical center, which means the patient will be able to return home the same day treatment is received. During this surgical procedure, the patient receives local anesthesia, remaining comfortable throughout treatment. The cataract may be broken up through the application of high-frequency ultrasound, making it easier to remove using suction. Once all pieces of the cloudy lens have been removed from the eye, an intraocular lens usually is carefully inserted behind the pupil and the iris, where the natural lens had been. The tiny incision made to accommodate this procedure is closed and the patient is sent home wearing a protective shield over the eye, which will be worn during the first days of surgery recovery.

If your vision is being impacted by the presence of a cataract, contact us for your personal consultation for corrective surgery.

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