Cataract Surgery Education
Learn about cataract surgery, what to expect, and how this safe, effective procedure can restore your clear vision and improve your quality of life.
What Are Cataracts?
A cataract is a clouding of the eye's natural lens, which lies behind the iris and pupil. Cataracts are the most common cause of vision loss in people over age 40 and are the principal cause of blindness worldwide.
As we age, proteins in the lens can clump together, creating a cloudy area. This cloudiness prevents light from passing clearly through the lens, causing blurry or dim vision, difficulty seeing at night, sensitivity to glare, and fading of colors.
Signs & Symptoms
Cataracts develop gradually, so symptoms may not be noticeable at first. Be aware of these common warning signs:
Cloudy or blurry vision
Difficulty seeing at night
Sensitivity to light and glare
Halos around lights
Frequent changes in glasses prescription
Fading or yellowing of colors
Double vision in one eye
The Surgical Procedure
Video courtesy of American Academy of Ophthalmology
Modern Technology
We use advanced phacoemulsification technology to break up and remove the cloudy lens through a tiny incision.
Quick Recovery
The procedure typically takes 15-20 minutes, and most patients return to normal activities within a few days.
Safe & Effective
Cataract surgery is one of the safest and most commonly performed surgeries, with a 98% success rate.
What Happens During Surgery?
- 1.Your eye is numbed with local anesthesia, and you'll remain awake but comfortable.
- 2.A tiny incision is made in the cornea to access the lens.
- 3.Ultrasound energy is used to break up the cloudy lens, which is then gently removed.
- 4.A clear artificial lens (intraocular lens or IOL) is inserted in place of the natural lens.
- 5.The incision typically heals on its own without stitches.
Intraocular Lens Options
We offer several types of advanced intraocular lenses to meet your specific vision needs:
Monofocal Lenses
Provide clear vision at one chosen distance—either near or far. Most patients choose distance vision and use reading glasses for close-up work. Glasses provide a full range of vision when combined with the monofocal lens.
Multifocal & Extended Depth of Focus Lenses
Allow you to see clearly at multiple distances - near, intermediate, and far - with a continuous range of high-quality vision and reduced visual disturbances. These advanced lenses significantly reduce dependence on glasses.
Toric Lenses
Correct astigmatism in addition to cataracts, providing clearer vision without the need for astigmatism correction glasses.
Light Adjustable Lenses
The only IOL that can be customized after implantation using UV light treatments. This allows fine-tuning of your vision to achieve optimal results based on your eye's healing and your lifestyle needs.
Patient Lifestyle Questionnaire
This questionnaire is designed to help you better understand your vision goals and what you hope to achieve with cataract surgery. By answering these questions, you can identify what is most important for you to see best after surgery—whether that's reading, driving, working on a computer, or enjoying hobbies. Your responses will help our team recommend the best lens option tailored to your lifestyle and visual needs.
Questionnaire developed by Alcon
Download PDFFinancing Options Available for Premium Lenses
We understand that investing in premium lens options is important. That's why we offer CareCredit financing to help make premium intraocular lenses more affordable. CareCredit provides flexible payment plans with convenient monthly payments, allowing you to get the advanced lens technology you want and pay over time.
Femtosecond Laser-Assisted Technology
We offer advanced femtosecond laser technology for enhanced precision and safety in cataract surgery.
Blade-Free Precision
The femtosecond laser creates precise incisions with computer-guided accuracy, replacing traditional manual blade techniques for enhanced safety.
Customized Treatment
Advanced 3D imaging maps your eye's unique characteristics, allowing for a personalized surgical plan tailored to your specific anatomy.
Improved Outcomes
Laser precision can result in better lens positioning, reduced energy use during surgery, and potentially faster visual recovery.
How Femtosecond Laser Technology Works
The femtosecond laser uses ultra-short pulses of light to create precise incisions and break up the cataract with minimal impact on surrounding tissues. This advanced technology enhances several key steps of the procedure:
- Corneal Incisions: Creates perfectly sized and positioned incisions for optimal healing
- Capsulotomy: Opens the lens capsule with precision, ensuring ideal IOL positioning
- Lens Fragmentation: Softens the cataract before removal, reducing ultrasound energy needed
- Astigmatism Correction: Can create precise corneal relaxing incisions to reduce astigmatism
Financing Options Available for Femtosecond Laser-Assisted Surgery
We understand that investing in advanced technology for your vision is important. That's why we offer CareCredit financing to help make the cost of femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery more affordable. CareCredit provides flexible payment plans with convenient monthly payments, allowing you to benefit from this precision technology and pay over time.
Recovery & What to Expect
Day of Surgery
You will be at the surgery center/hospital about 2–2½ hours.
You will likely receive IV sedation for surgery. When IV sedation is used, you must arrange for a caregiver to drive you home and stay with you for 24 hours. You may need help and your judgment may be impaired. You may not drive or operate heavy machinery for 24 hours. The caregiver should listen to the postop instructions. Avoid alcohol consumption for 24 hours after surgery. Wait 24 hours after surgery before making important decisions or signing documents.
After Surgery
- You will start your eye drops after returning home from surgery.
- You will receive an eye shield from the Hospital/Surgery Center. Please wear this shield until your post op appointment.
- You may drive 24 hours after surgery if the vision in your non-operative eye is good enough for Driver's License Regulations and you feel safe doing so.
- Avoid lifting over 30 pounds and prolonged head upside-down activities like yoga poses for 1 week.
- You may read, watch TV, shave, bathe, shower, and shampoo your hair. However, try to minimize, as much as possible, the amount of water that gets into your eye for about 1 week.
- Do not wear eye make-up or creams on or around your eye for 1 week.
- Do not swim or use a hot tub for 1 week.
Normal Symptoms After Surgery
Mild discomfort after surgery is common. You may take nonprescription pain medications (Tylenol, Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen, Advil, or Aleve for example). Severe pain is not normal – please call the office to determine if you should be seen.
You may experience a feeling of scratchiness or like there is an eyelash or hair in your eye. This should improve over the next several days. A freshly opened bottle of artificial tears may be used for irritation. You may use this frequently, but please allow about 10 minutes of space between the post-surgery medicated drops and the artificial tears so you do not dilute the medicated drops.
Pupils will remain dilated for 1-2 days after surgery.
This will improve over the next several days to weeks. You may wear your present glasses until the operative eye is ready for a new correction. You may see better in your operative eye without glasses. Over-the-counter reading glasses may be worn to help with near vision. Wearing the wrong strength glasses may be uncomfortable but it does not actually harm the surgery eye or cause it to heal poorly.
This is very common. If bothersome, sunglasses may be helpful.
Sometimes a few floaters (small dark spots) will appear in your vision. A few floaters is not unusual. If they increase in number, become large and prominent, or are associated with flashing lights or vision loss — please call our office to determine if you should be seen.
You may notice glare or halos in your vision. A flicker or shadow may appear briefly in the side vision. These are normal and decrease with time.
Full Recovery
Complete healing typically takes about 8 weeks. Your vision will continue to improve during this time, and you'll have follow-up appointments to monitor your progress.
Call Your Doctor If You Experience:
- • Sudden vision loss
- • Severe pain or pressure in your eye
- • Increased redness or swelling
- • Flashing lights or new floaters
- • Any signs of infection
Ready to Learn More About Cataract Surgery?
Schedule a consultation with our experienced ophthalmologists to discuss your options and determine if cataract surgery is right for you.