Cataracts

A cataract is a cloudy area in the normally clear lens inside your eye. The human lens tends to become so clouded that light is prevented from reaching the retina. Early detection through regular eye exams can help maintain the clearest vision possible.

People at risk for developing cataracts are over 55 years old, have had eye injuries or disease, have a family history of cataracts, smoke cigarettes or use certain medications. There is no pain associated with the condition, but there are several symptoms that indicate failing vision due to cataracts. These include:

• Blurred/hazy vision
• Sensitivity to headlights making it difflicult to drive at night
• Sensitivity to glare
• A feeling of "film" over the eye(s)
• A temporary improvement in near vision

  	Cataract Symptoms

For people who are significantly affected by cataracts, replacement surgery is the best method of treatment. During cataract replacement, the most common surgical procedure in the country, the lens is removed and replaced with an artificial one called an intraocular lens or IOL.

Precise measurements and refinements in surgical technique allow us to restore vision clouded by cataracts, and, with innovative implant lens choices, cataract patients can now hope to eliminate the need for glasses altogether.

	Normal Vision	Cataract Vision

	Cataract Surgery I Cataract Surgery II

During cataract surgery, a small ultrasonic probe is inserted into the eye which breaks up, or emulsifies, the cloudy lens into tiny pieces and gently sucks, or aspirates, those pieces out of the eye. Phaco surgery requires a small incision of only 3.2 mm or less. To make your procedure as painless as possible, anesthesia is a combination of local and/or topical along with IV sedation.

Phaco Surgery	IOL in place

With the recent advance of foldable IOLs, artificial lenses can be implanted through the same small incision that is created in the phaco procedure. These Multifocal Intraocular Lens are made of a flexible material, allowing them to be folded for implantation. Once inside the eye, the lens unfolds and returns to its original shape.

Cataract and Your IOL Options

	IOL Overview Accommodative IOL Multifocal Toric

Standard Monfocal Lens

Standard Monfocal lens is designed with one focusing point and will improve your distance vision once the cataract is removed. With this iol option, it is not uncommon to need glasses to "fine tune" your vision at distance. You will also need either a bifocal or reading glasses for near task.

AcrySof ReSTOR® Lens

AcrySof ReSTOR® Lens - a multifocal iol provides correction for distance,near and intermediate. With this advanced lens technology, 4 out 5 patients in the supporting fda clinical study reported never needing to wear glasses after surgery in both eyes. This lens provides many people the opportunity to read, shop,dine, and sightsee without the aid of glasses. It's the lens for qualifying patients who want today's most advanced options.

Crystallens

Crystallens is an accommodating lens which uses 100% of the available light rays at all distances, near and intermediate, so your vision is always in focus

ReSTOR® Toric Lens

a toric iol provides correction for both a cataract and preexisting astigmatism in one step. If you have a astigmatism and are concerned primarily with improving distance vision, the toric iol eliminates the need to have two corrective procedures. It provides quality distance vision and decreased dependency on glasses as compared to a traditional monofocal lens.