What Is A Cataract?
A cataract is the clouding of the eye’s naturally clear lens. The lens is part of the eye that helps focus light on the retina. The retina is a light-sensitive layer of tissue lining the inner surface of the eye. The optics of the eye create an image of the visual world on the retina through the cornea and lens. The clouding caused by a cataract reduces the sharpness of images reflected in the retina resulting in blurred vision.
Most cataracts are related to aging, usually starting at age 40. Cataracts are so common that by age 80 more than half of all Americans either have a cataract or have already had cataract surgery.
How Is My Vision Affected By Cataracts?
A cataract is caused by one of two changes in the lens: clumping of protein or discoloration. The lens is primarily composed of water and protein. In the case of cataracts, the protein clumps up in areas clouding the lens and reducing the amount of light that reaches the retina. This can start with small clumps and increase in size to completely cover the lens requiring cataract surgery.
In the case of discoloration the lens slowing changes to a yellow and/or brownish color. Over time this brown tint to the lens becomes more prominent making it difficult to read and identify colors such as blues, purples, and blacks. Gradual discoloration of lenses does not affect the sharpness of the image. The natural wear and tear on eyes due to job requirements, lifestyle and environment are possible factors causing cataracts.
Laser Cataract Surgery
Are you having trouble driving at night, reading the small print, or watching TV? These are typically the starting signs of a cataract. If you’re having trouble seeing or notice that images are starting to become more blurred, now is the time to schedule an evaluation with WK Eye Institute. Dr. Shelby and Dr. Coleman are highly trained ophthalmologists who specialize in refractive cataract surgery.
At The Cataract Surgeons, a division of WK Eye Institute, our top priority is to improve your vision and quality of life. From your first appointment to your last follow-up, we’ll make sure you fully understand the procedure and have the information needed for a quick and painless recovery. Alongside vision improvement, we aim to provide our patients with a stress-free cataract surgery experience and lasting patient care.
What is Cataract Surgery?
Cataract surgery is a procedure that involves removing the natural cloudy lens inside your eye and replacing it with a clear plastic artificial one. Electing to undergo this procedure will improve your vision, night vision, vibrancy, and general quality of life. Many patients report immediate improvement insight and full recovery within a few days.
FAQ’s
As is true in all fields, people are usually good at what they do the most. It is essential when choosing a surgeon, to find someone who performs enough procedures to be very proficient; 1,000 per year is a good benchmark. In a surgical field heavily dependent on technology for optimal outcomes, it is important to find a surgeon with access to and experience using modern technology. Equally important as skills and experience are a surgeon that will take time to understand your particular needs and work with you to formulate a personalized plan that achieves your visual goals. The Cataract Surgeons in Shreveport, LA use the following technologies and methods to effectively and safely correct your vision. If you are considering cataract surgery, it helps to understand the terms and options for the procedure. The following words and definitions are important to know: If you’re having trouble seeing clearly at night, reading, or enjoying other activities because of your vision, contact The Cataract Surgeons right away. We’re dedicated to improving your vision quickly and effectively while providing a relaxing and comfortable experience! Contact us today to schedule an appointment and visit doctors who are committed to your care and experience. An image-guided femtosecond laser allows our surgeons to make incisions with efficiency and precision without the use of a blade. The laser also assists in breaking up the cataract so that removal of this cloudy lens requires less ultrasound energy, which is easier on the eye. This new laser technology also allows for better management of our patient’s corneal astigmatism. This technique is available only with the premium lens implants, which ensures the best visual outcome for our patients. Our goal through this latest technology of laser-assisted cataract surgery along with premium lens implants is to increase the likelihood of patients not needing glasses following their cataract surgery. Multifocal IOL lens implants enable patients to see near, far and intermediate distances after surgery. With a multifocal IOL, the central portion of the lens has a series of steps that are carved in a very precise arrangement with varying step heights and distances between steps. Each of the steps of this diffractive optic bends the incoming light differently; creating a near focus that is quite separated from the distance focus formed by the remaining refractive portion of the lens. This large separation between the two images allows for fewer artifacts or distortion in either of the images, providing good quality of vision at both distance and near. Accommodating lens implants have garnered a significant amount of positive reviews and testimonials from thousands of early patient adopters. These special lenses are designed to mimic or accommodate, just like the eyes natural lens would. The hinge design of the lens enables it to move inside the eye just like the original natural lens. The end result is that patients can see better at multiple distances. The only accommodating IOL available is known as the Crystalens® by Bausch & Lomb. Toric lens implants are a unique type of lens implant that is used to correct astigmatism. A Toric lens implant is NOT the only method of astigmatism correction, so consult a doctor about the current possibilities. The asymmetric steepening of the cornea or natural lens causes light to be focused unevenly, which is the main optical problem in astigmatism. To individuals with uncorrected astigmatism, images may look blurry or shadowed. Astigmatism can accompany any form of refractive error and is very common. Astigmatism can be corrected with glasses, contact lenses, corneal relaxing incisions, laser vision correction, and special implant lenses. If a cataract patient has astigmatism and has aspirations to be glasses-free after surgery, the Toric lens implant is a good option. Toric lens implants are NOT a correction option for presbyopia. The AcrySof® Toric lens implant is a popular choice for this type of lens. Premium lens implants can be very exciting for patients that want to have a new level of spectacle freedom after cataract surgery, or with clear lens extraction. Due to the complex nature of each person’s visual system, it is difficult for a patient to make an assessment of the right lens without consulting a medical ophthalmologist. For years, patients who got cataract surgery had a successful outcome but still needed to wear glasses afterward. Traditional cataract surgery can fix long-distance vision or near vision, but not both. Now, there is a new option that can provide clear vision for near, intermediate, and far distances without needing to wear glasses or contacts. The new technology is called the PanOptix trifocal intraocular lenses. The PanOptix trifocal lens is the first and only trifocal lens in the United States. This technology has already been used successfully in countries around the world. It is changing lives and redefining post-cataract surgery outcomes for patients. More than 120 million people worldwide have benefitted from the trifocal intraocular lens. This lens has been available for several years before it received FDA approval in the U.S. While cataract surgery removes a patient’s cloudy lens with a new, clear lens, it is limited to providing clear vision at one or more distances. This depends on which intraocular lens the patient chooses. Cataract surgery patients are limited to a lens that will correct distance vision or near vision, but not both. While cataract surgery clears up blurry vision and side effects caused by cataracts, many patients find they still need glasses for near work or to see far distances. The PanOptix trifocal lens reduces the need for glasses as the first lens of its kind to provide correction at all three distances – near, intermediate and far. For the first time, you can imagine what life would be like without glasses and save the money you spend on glasses and contact lenses. The PanOptix trifocal lens is an advanced technology lens used to focus images clearly to the retina. This provides clear vision post-cataract surgery. It serves as a trifocal lens and provides more benefits that a monofocal cannot provide. This includes better vision while reading, working on a computer, or driving. It has better image quality over other trifocal lenses. Like other lenses, it is permanently placed in your eye. Unlike other lenses, the advanced technology maximizes the amount of light that reaches the retina. This gives patients crisp and clear vision at every distance. It also works under various lighting conditions. Your eye physician can set the intermediate vision focal point with PanOptix to a distance suited to your lifestyle. When the lens is implanted in the eye during cataract surgery, the eye and brain adjust to looking through the correct part of the lens. This depends on where the person is focusing. Unlike other multifocal lenses, the PanOptix trifocal lens delivers excellent contrast sensitivity. In the trifocal lens design, 50% of light energy goes to distance vision, 25% goes to intermediate vision, and 25% to near vision. The PanOptix trifocal lens works best for patients who want to be able see with ease. This is the case whether they are doing close work like reading, intermediate work, such as typing on a computer; or seeing far away, such as playing golf. If you are a candidate for cataract surgery, you can consider choosing a PanOptix trifocal lens. It’s best to schedule an appointment with your eye doctor who has experience with multifocal intraocular lenses to determine if it is right for you. At Willis Knighton Eye Institute, whether you’re in Shreveport, Coushatta, or Natchitoches, you can discuss your vision goals with an experienced eye physician. Your doctor will discuss all your cataract surgery options with you. Willis Knighton Eye Institute is the first eye care practice in Louisiana to offer the PanOptix trifocal lens to patients. Some patients opt for a monofocal intraocular lens, which allows clear vision at one distance – either near or far. Those patients continue to wear glasses after cataract surgery. Another option is that one eye receives an intraocular lens for distance and the other for close vision. With this option, a patient must use one eye at a time for each distance. This will reduce the need for some glasses but may affect depth perception. Deciding on the correct intraocular lens is an important decision. You should take into account your vision goals, lifestyle, and other health issues. Exploring your options is best-done face-to-face with an experienced eye physician. We at the Willis Knighton Eye Institute are one of the few practices that offer trifocal lenses to our cataract patients. In some instances, patients may still need glasses for intricate, detailed, or close work. Be sure to discuss that possibility during your consultation with your eye doctor. During clinical trials with the trifocal lens, some patients reported temporarily experiencing glare, including halos around lights. This was most noticeable at night and decreased or became less noticeable over time. Once your first eye is implanted with a PanOptix Trifocal lens, your vision may not be completely clear until you have the lens put in your second eye. After treating the second eye, patients reported having good vision at near, intermediate and far distances. This happened within a few days of surgery. Some people take a little longer to adapt to their new vision than others, so stay in touch with your eye doctor after cataract surgery. On rare occasions, your eye surgeon may recommend a minor “touch up” procedure to refine your vision. Once your post-cataract surgery vision has settled, you can enjoy routine activities without the need for glasses. Because the PanOptix trifocal intraocular lens is a premium lens, it may not be covered by your insurance plan or Medicare. Our billing and insurance office is available to discuss different options for you. Wondering if the PanOptix trifocal lens may be right for you? Schedule a cataract screening at Willis Knighton Eye Institute in Shreveport, LA today! ORA System™ has been helping doctors deliver the best possible outcomes to their laser cataract surgery patients. The ORA system offers many benefits to both doctors and patients, such as: ORA System™ is a big advancement in eye lens surgery, allowing doctors to make the best choices during surgery as to what will benefit your eyesight the most. The ORA system is especially helpful in astigmatic patients. Because ORA uses Wavefront technology to analyze imperfections in the eye and what is causing a refractive error, your surgeon knows exactly what needs to be corrected. Also, ORA can tell during surgery whether or not the eye is focused, and if it is not, the ORA System helps the surgeon focus the eye.Finding The Best Eye Surgeon For Your Procedure
Choosing an eye surgeon isn’t an overnight decision. As you conduct your research on local cataract surgery providers, make sure to consider the following details –What Technology Is Used in Cataract Surgeries?
FAQ’s
Schedule Cataract Surgery
LenSx – Laser Cataract Surgery
Technology has improved the safety and outcomes of cataract surgery. In traditional cataract surgery, several small incisions are made manually with a blade and a manual technique is used to break up the cataract. Our surgeons were the first in Louisiana to offer the newest LenSx technology with laser-assisted cataract surgery.Lens Implants
Improving your vision through cataract surgery can be a multi-step process that requires input from you and your eye doctor. Selecting the best intraocular lens, or IOL, to replace your natural lens is one crucial part of cataract treatment. With the right IOL, not only will you have a clearer vision, you can correct lifelong eye problems such as near- or farsightedness and enjoy close to 20/20 vision. In some cases, however, eyeglasses may be needed after surgery to fine-tune distance and/or reading vision.Multifocal Lens Implants
Accommodating IOL
Toric IOL
PanOptix Trifocal Lens
What Is The New Technology?
Why Should I Consider The PanOptix Trifocal Lens?
How Does The PanOptix Trifocal Lens Work?
How Do I Know If The PanOptix Trifocal Lens Is Right For Me?
Does The PanOptix Trifocal Lens Have Risks?
ORA System™ Technology
