Cataract Surgery

No stitch means the eye heals naturally without the need for any stitches, or any need to perform another procedure on the eye in the future to take out the stitch.

No injection means no need to inject a needle around the eye, so no pain and no risk of causing damage to the optic nerve or retina.

No patch means no uncomfortable patch to wear that obstructs the vision in that eye.

No glasses means with custom cataract surgery utilizing "Premium" lens technology most patients significantly reduce their need for glasses.

The vision can be further refined with LASIK if needed, resulting in most patients being free from the need for glasses 80% of time or more.

Our ophthalmologists are well trained in the field of "Custom Cataract Surgery". This is the latest advancement available and not all cataract surgeons perform this state of the art procedure.

What is involved in Custom Cataract Surgery?

Custom Cataract surgery utilizes new lens technology that involves replacing the natural lens that you are born with that has now become "cloudy", what is known as a cataract, with a new state of the art lens that allows the eye to focus on objects at far and near distances while also preserving good depth perception.

If the front of the eye is not naturally round, what is known as astigmatism, we will reshape the eye using laser technology to provide the best visual outcome possible.The entire lens procedure usually takes about 15 minutes to perform as an outpatient surgical procedure.

You will go home about 30 minutes after surgery. Most all activities can be resumed by Day 1, except heavy lifting, bending, or straining.

If the eye also needs to be reshaped with the laser, that will be performed at around 3 months to further refine the vision.

These procedures produce little to know pain with only mild discomfort and light sensitivity the first few days.

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How long does it take for my vision improve to "normal"?

The lens procedure is done on one eye at a time usually within 2 weeks of each other. The first eye generally has significant improvement in vision as early as Day 1, but every patient heals at different rates. The best vision is achieved after both eyes have had the procedure since the new lens technology works the best when both eyes are working together. If there is any astigmatism, best vision will not be achieved until the eye is reshaped with the laser to provide final refinement of the visual system.

What is the difference between Custom Cataract Surgery and "regular" cataract surgery?

With "regular" cataract surgery, a standard lens is used that is usually set to focus at distance with both eyes or alternatively, the dominant eye focused for distance and the non-dominant eye focused for near (Monovision).

If the patient chooses to have both eyes set to focus at "distance", then near vision task such as reading a book, or working at the computer will require bifocals or reading glasses in order to see.

With "Monovision", since both eyes are set to focus at different distances, some depth perception is sacrificed. "Custom" Cataract Surgery utilizes the state of the art custom lenses that act like a bifocal inside the eye, so the eye can focus at distance with both eyes simultaneously ( thus better depth perception) and near without the need for bifocals or reading glasses in most circumstances.

This provides more independence and freedom from having to wear glasses, at a range of distances.

Am I good candidate for Custom Cataract Surgery?

We will examine your eyes during the initial consultation and perform a thorough ocular examination to determine if custom surgery will work well for your visual needs. Generally, people with chronic eye disease, uncontrolled diabetes, macular degeneration, or other such eye problems are not ideal candidates. Patients with severe dry eye may need to have surgery delayed several weeks while the cornea is being treated, and it returns to its normal "smooth" hydrated state.

In addition, people who drive at night for a living, or whose occupation requires excellent night vision, airplane pilots, and patients who are hypercritical or have unrealistic expectations are generally not good candidates.

What are the risks?

There are risks associated with any surgery and no one can guarantee good vision after surgery. You will experience some glare and halos especially at night that usually disappear by 4-6 months. If there is a concern that the premium, custom lens will not center well in your eye, or there is a complication preventing safe use of this lens at the time of surgery, a standard lens may be implanted instead.

Will insurance pay for Custom Cataract Surgery?

What is the price you put on reading a book? Or a menu? To clearly follow a golf ball as it sails over the fairway?

Your vision connects you to the world and your loved ones in many ways. With Custom Cataract surgery, you don't have to miss any of it.

Insurance policies vary, but most insurance plans including Medicare will not cover all the cost to upgrade to custom lenses.

They will pay for the standard cost of cataract surgery, i.e. the facility fee, anesthesiology fee, preoperative evaluation and tests, and most of the surgical fee, allowing the patient to pay the additional cost to upgrade their surgery to a custom procedure utilizing premium lens technology.

Clinical Results

The current lens technology most used by our opthalmologist during cataract surgery is the FDA approved AcrySof ReSTOR or Technis lenses. Clinical data demonstrates that the AcrySof ReSTOR and Technis lenses greatly reduces dependence on glasses or bifocals:

• 80% of patients reported that after lens implant surgery with ReSTOR or Technis lenses, they never needed glasses or contact lenses to see clearly at all distances.
• 94% reported being able to drive or read the newspaper without glasses or contacts
• Nearly 94% were so satisfied that they would have the procedure again.

In addition, the quality of vision compared to wearing bifocals and/or trifocals is significantly improved. You'll have a full range of vision, without having to tilt your head to find that portion of your glasses that allows you to see clearly.

Everyone's focusing ability is different. Most people will be able to see clearly in the distance, have very good reading vision and good middle vision without glasses, but some people may be more comfortable with additional correction, particularly at night or in dim light or for long periods of computer work.

It is important to remember that implant surgery cannot resolve preexisting visual conditions such as floaters, flashes, or visual field loss that are a result of conditions of the eye and not related to the lens.

While virtually everyone experiences much improved vision after cataract surgery, some people will have better uncorrected vision than others.It may be necessary for some people to wear glasses for distance, intermediate and/or near vision to obtain optimal visual acuity.

It is often necessary to wear glasses for optimal acuity while viewing objects at middle distances such as the computer.

The difference from standard lenses is that most people will not be dependent on these supplemental vision aids to function normally.