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What is a Cataract ?
Key Benefits of "No-Stitch" phacoemulsification.
What to Expect After Surgery ?
"Secondary" Cataracts
Sight Loss Can Be Prevented

Instrumentation


With the formation of a cataract, activities like reading, sports, or driving can be difficult. Fortunately, vision usually can be restored quickly, allowing the patient to return home and back to normal activity within a short time after surgery. With new advances in cataract surgery, noticeable visual improvement usually begins almost immediately, and an eye patch is rarely needed.

What is a Cataract?

A cataract is the clouding of the lens of the natural eye. Normally, light passes through the clear lens and is focused onto the retina (place mouse cursor over the "eye" diagram). However, as a result of the natural aging process, the lens gradually becomes cloudy (place mouse cursor over the "mountain meadow" diagram). The cataract, or cloudy lens, blocks the passage of light through the eye and causes distorted or blurred vision.

Restoring Vision

Once a cataract has formed, the most effective way to restore vision is to remove the cloudy cataract and replace it with a plastic lens implant (Intraocular lens or IOL -- provides excellent vision and requires no special care after cataract surgery).

With recent advances in cataract surgery equipment and techniques, vision can be restored safer and faster, allowing patients to resume normal activities within hours after surgery (some activities may be limited during healing). Using these state-of-the-art techniques, cataract surgery has a success rate of greater than 98%.

No - stitch, Self Sealing Incision Surgery

A small 1/8 inch opening (instead of a relatively wide incision) is created with a specific self sealing technique. The new technique places the incision into the cornea (clear part of the eye that covers the iris or colored portion of the eye) just next to the sclera (white part of the eye).
Ultrasound is used to gently break up (or emulsify) the cloudy lens into tiny pieces which can be removed through the tip of the "phaco" probe instead of a wide incision.
A special lens (IOL) is then implanted through the smaller incision.
The final replacement lens is shown in place. The small "No Stitch" incision does not require sutures.

Key Benefits of "No-Stitch" phacoemulsification.

  • No placement or removal of sutures.
  • May be performed under local Anesthesia .
  • Reduces postoperative restrictions.
  • Improves postoperative vision and minimizes postoperative astigmatism.

What to Expect After Surgery

Many patients are pleased to find that after phacoemulsification, cataract surgery, their vision improvement begins almost immediately, and they return home shortly after the procedure. Patients may find their vision better than ever; however, many will need to wear glasses for reading and other activities following the procedure. During the initial healing period, there may be a few limitations on strenuous activities. However, most people find that they are able to return to a normal lifestyle immediately, in addition to doing things poor cataract vision had restricted them from doing in the past.


(place mouse cursor over the "eye" diagram)

"Secondary" Cataracts

During cataract surgery, a clear capsule surrounding the cataract is left in place to support the lens implant. In some cases, this capsule may turn cloudy months or years after surgery, creating a "secondary" cataract. If this occurs, an outpatient laser procedure will quickly restore good vision.

Sight Loss Can Be Prevented

Permanent loss of sight from cataracts is usually preventable. With modern technology, cataracts can be removed and good vision restored when a person feels the loss of vision is great enough to interfere with daily activities. If you are experiencing the symptoms of cataracts or other vision problems, you should obtain a complete eye examination.

 

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