Cataract Surgery
When are you ready for cataract surgery?
There are several factors that determine whether it is the right time for cataract surgery, and this will be discussed with the doctor during your visit. Most importantly, your quality of life matters most! Just because you have a cataract does not necessarily mean you need surgery right away. There is usually a slow progression in the development of the cataract, which the doctor will routinely monitor at your office visits. If the doctor determines the cataract to be significantly responsible for your visual decline, then having cataract surgery can make a profound improvement in your quality of life. By removing the foggy lens and replacing it with a clear artificial lens, more light is able to enter the eye with better focus and more clarity. Ultimately, the goal is to improve your quality of vision and life.
How is cataract surgery performed?
Dr. Abessi performs small-incision, no stitch, minimally invasive cataract surgery. He is also well experienced in femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery to help improve the precision of your cataract surgery, and to help minimize your astigmatism.
Cataract surgery is performed as an outpatient procedure. Therefore, you go home the same day.
Once you arrive at the surgery center or hospital, you will receive a series of eye drops to dilate your eye. A small incision is created in the peripheral cornea to enter the eye. Then a circular opening in the thin film (capsulotomy) is created to access the cataract. Ultrasound energy (phacoemulsification) is used to breakdown the cataract into smaller pieces, and then carefully suctioned out of the eye. After all the cataract pieces are removed, then an artificial lens is implanted into the eye. The corneal wound will then self-seal and usually close without any sutures needed. You will then get an eye shield to protect your eye.
The surgery itself typically takes about 10-15 minutes to complete!
Femtosecond Laser-assisted Cataract Surgery (Optional)
The femtosecond laser uses extraordinary technology to scan the front of your eye and generate precise locations for specific incisions in your cornea and lens. This laser can augment your cataract surgery to help improve overall precision and help limit your distance spectacle dependence if you have mild to moderate astigmatism.
If you choose to have laser added to your surgery, then this will make your surgery into a two-part procedure. The first part will involve the femtosecond laser, which can provide the following visual benefits to your cataract surgery:
Lower your astigmatism by making precise incisions in the cornea
Precise location and size of the corneal wound
Precise location and size of the capsulotomy for better centration of the intraocular lens, especially important for premium lenses (trifocal/multifocal, toric)
The laser can soften the cataract so less ultrasound energy is used to remove it from the eye, and therefore less stress on the cornea. This can be of benefit in patients with certain corneal diseases and/or lower corneal endothelial cell count.
Laser cataract surgery comes with similar risks as standard cataract surgery. Not everybody is an ideal candidate for laser-assisted cataract surgery. If interested, please ask the doctor if you are a good candidate for this procedure.
Intraocular Lens (IOL) Choice
Since your natural lens is removed during cataract surgery, your eye will require an artificial lens in order to see clearly. This implanted lens is called an intraocular lens (IOL). This power of the IOL is determined by a series of pre-operative measurements and calculations that give an estimate of how much focusing power your eye needs to see clearly. There are a few types of IOLs to choose from:
Monofocal IOL - This is the standard lens that gives only one focal point, usually distance vision. This means you will need reading glasses for near vision.
Toric IOL - This type of lens can correct mild, moderate, or high regular astigmatism in your eye, which can help limit your need for distance glasses. Again, you will need reading glasses for near vision. This lens requires to be placed in a very specific position within your eye.
Advanced Technology (Extended Depth of Focus, Multifocal) IOL - These types of lenses have advancements to provide excellent distance and intermediate vision, and functional near vision. The goal of an advanced technology lens is to provide the convenience of spectacle-independence for most of your everyday activities. Although the need for reading glasses may be limited, you may require reading glasses for some near work and fine-print. There may also be some risks involved with multifocal lenses, such as glare and halos. Not everybody is a good candidate for these lenses, therefore a discussion should be made with your doctor preoperatively.