Cataract Surgery

Cataracts are oftentimes associated with the aging process and, according to the National Eye Institute [NEI], nearly 68.3 percent of Americans 80 and older had cataracts [2010], with projections that 50.2 million cataract patients will be seeking help in the year 2050.

Modern cataract surgery procedures for the most part produce excellent visual outcomes to more than 3 million Americans each year.

Cataract Symptoms: Typical symptoms that indicate you have a cataract problem are blurred vision, clouded vision, light sensitivity and dim colors. The purpose of this lens is to bend (refract) light rays that come into the eye to help you see.

Cataract Procedure: The surgery, which takes approx. 15 minutes, removes the lens inside your eye that has become cloudy and replaces it with an artificial lens, called an intraocular lens, to restore long-lasting clear vision.

Today, a high-frequency ultrasound device breaks up the cloudy lens into small pieces, which are then gently removed from the eye with suction. Sometimes laser-assisted technology is utilized to remove the lens pieces.

Called phacoemulsification or "phaco," this procedure can be performed with smaller incisions than previous surgical techniques for cataract removal, promoting faster healing and reducing the risk of cataract surgery complications such as retinal detachment.

Once the cloudy lens has been removed, the surgeon inserts a clear intraocular lens behind the iris and pupil in the same location as the natural lens had been situated. The surgeon then closes the incision in the eye and a protective shield is placed over the eye for protection during the cataract surgery recovery period.

Cataract surgery is performed on an out-patient basis and does not typically require an overnight stay at the hospital or medical facility. Recovery time for cataract surgery is about a month.