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Sanford G.
Feldman, M.D.,
Ellie E.
Samadani, M.D.
Patricia
S. Bainter, M.D.
Maulik S. Zaveri, M.D. M.S.
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"The
difference
is the time
we spend
with each
patient..."
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Cataract
Surgery
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What is cataract surgery?
Cataract surgery is one of the most successful
procedures in all of medicine. Millions of cataract
operations are performed around the world every
year. The procedure is performed on an outpatient
basis, which means you will be able to return home
the very same day. To begin, you may be given some
medicine, intravenously, to help you relax. Then,
the doctor will numb your eye so you will not feel
any pain. This can be done with anesthetic drops or
with a local anesthetic like the dentist uses. Your
doctor will help you decide which type of anesthetic
is best for you. A painless lid separator will be
used to keep the eye open so you won’t have to worry
about blinking during the procedure. |
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The surgery is performed through a tiny incision that
measures about 1/8 of an inch. The pencil tip-sized end of
an instrument called a phacoemulsification machine is then
placed through the tiny incision. This sophisticated device
uses high frequency sound waves, known as ultrasound, to
gently break the cough-drop sized cataract into small
pieces. Simultaneously, it vacuums those pieces from the
eye. The incision used for cataract surgery is so small that
it usually seals on its own, without stitches. Contrary to
popular belief, cataracts are not removed with a laser.
Cataract surgery is painless and usually takes only about 20
minutes to complete. You’ll usually be in the surgery center
for a total of two to three hours.
How will I focus if my lens is removed during surgery?
Because removing the cloudy lens of the eye takes away
focusing power, that power is replaced with a clear plastic
artificial lens called an intraocular lens implant or IOL.
The IOL is usually folded up like a taco, and inserted using
the same tiny incision through which the cataract was
removed. Once inside the eye, the IOL unfolds into its full
size and can be properly positioned. The IOL stays in the
eye permanently and you do not feel it. The power of the IOL
to be used is determined with painless computerized
measurements of the eye that are taken in the office in
advance of surgery.
What is the recovery like?
After surgery, a protective shield will be placed on your
eye; you’ll rest for a short time, and then go home. In most
cases, a follow-up visit will be scheduled the day after
surgery. Although each patient heals differently, most
patients see well enough to return to routine activities
within a day or so after surgery. You’ll be asked to use
prescription eye drops for a few weeks after surgery.
Which intraocular lens implant is best?
There are many types of lens implants or IOL’s. Lens
implants known as monofocal IOL’s are designed to help you
to see either far away after surgery, or up-close, but not
both. If you choose a monofocal IOL for distance vision, you
should be able to see far away pretty well without glasses
but will need glasses for reading and close-up vision. If
you choose a monofocal IOL for near vision, you should be
able to see pretty well close-up without glasses, but will
need glasses to see far away.
There are also advanced IOL’s called multifocal and
accommodating IOL’s that can help you to see both far away
and up close, greatly decreasing and sometimes even
eliminating your need for glasses after surgery. There are
also advanced IOL’s that help correct astigmatism.
Astigmatism is a type of distortion of vision that occurs
when the front window of the eye, or cornea, is shaped more
like a football than a basketball. With conventional IOL’s
which don’t correct astigmatism, glasses are prescribed
after surgery to improve vision both far away and up close.
With the advanced astigmatism-correcting or “toric” IOL’s,
the need for glasses after surgery can often be reduced.
We’ll help you determine the type of implant that’s best for
you and will answer all of your questions about this amazing
procedure when you come into our office for your cataract
surgery consultation. |
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