Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness worldwide, affecting 66% of people over 60. Cataracts occur when the eye's lens becomes hardened and cloudy as part of natural aging. It can be compared to a window that is frosted or fogged with steam. The amount and pattern of cloudiness within the lens can vary. If the cloudiness is not near the optical center of the lens, you may not be aware that a cataract is present.
The Surgery
Topical, No-Stitch, No-Patch Cataract Surgery is the most recent advancement in the surgical removal of cataracts. Your cataract will be removed with the most advanced technique of small incision cataract surgery (called phacoemulsification). No needle is used for anesthesia, only topical numbing drops are applied. Then, an incision of only about 1/10 inch is made in the clear cornea. The cataract is broken into microscopic particles using sound waves and then suctioned gently from the eye. Contrary to popular belief, lasers are not used to remove cataracts. An intra-ocular lens implant is placed in the eye to compensate for the focusing over the eye's cataract lens, which has to be removed. Now there is even an implant that can be used which allows patients to see well without glasses for both distance and close vision. Imagine not having to depend on glasses all the time!
This is true even if you have always had to wear glasses in the past. This type of implant is called a multifocal implant in contrast to the standard monofocal implant .
Intraocular Lens Implantation (IOL)
The first IOL was implanted in November, 1959, by an English ophthalmologist, Harold Ridley. Since then, many advances in IOL design technology have occurred. Today in America, an intraocular lens implant is used to replace the human lens in more than 99% of cataract patients. Today's IOLs are the result of a sophisticated evolutionary process. They truly represent a perfect marriage of modern science and space age technology. The natural human lens is biconvex, that is, a lens curved on both sides. Most ophthalmologists have recognized the additional benefits to the patient of IOLs having a biconvex shape.
The implant is placed in the eye during the cataract removal, behind the iris, or colored portion of the eye, and cannot be seen. There are two main types of implants that can be used successfully to improve your vision. One is monofocal and the other is a multifocal implant.
The monofocal lens was the first kind of implant to be developed. It is designed to provide excellent vision at one set distance, usually far. This means that you should see well when you look at a distant object as in driving. However, you will most likely need glasses to perform activities such as reading and other near vision tasks.
Dr. Weinstock was one of the first ophthalmologists in the country chosen to use the new multifocal implant. This new generation of implant is different from monofocal IOLs. It is made of the same materials and basic design as many monofocal implants.
However, in addition to providing clear vision at far distances, it also provides good focus for a range of near tasks. This means that you may see well for distance (far) activities such as watching television or children playing. In addition, you also may see well for near activities, such as reading or crafts.You will therefore be less dependent on glasses for daily life. As with many things, there is a trade off. It is possible to lose some of the sharpness of your vision in poor light or fog. There may also be some visual side effects, such as halos or glare around lights at night.
A Clearer Outlook
Cataract surgery is one of the most successful and reliable procedures of modern medicine. The Topical "no stitch no patch" small incision technique makes a good thing even better. Within hours you can get back to the activities you like most. Colors will look more vivid. Faces will appear clear. Best of all, you can keep on doing the things that you enjoy. In just a few short years, the rapid advances in microsurgical technique and intraocular lens technology have enabled us to restore eyesight to cataract patients in a way that is easier and more successful than we ever dreamed.
We hope that this has helped you to obtain the information that you need about cataract surgery and IOL implantation. If you have any questions, please call our office and we will be glad to answer them for you. You can reach us at 727-581-8706.