Cataract Surgery

Cataracts are caused by clouding or opacity of the naturally clear, crystalline lens of the eye, which diminishes the passage of light to the retina. Cataracts may be caused by the natural progression of aging, metabolic changes, radiation, toxic chemicals, injury or use of certain drugs.

Cataract surgery is very successful in restoring vision, with over 90% of patients regaining excellent vision. Cataracts are usually treated with cataract extraction surgery (known as phacoemulsification) with intraocular lens (IOL) implant. In this surgical procedure, the cloudy lens is removed through an incision in the eye, and is replaced with a clear artificial lens. The implant does not change the outward appearance of the eye, but can drastically improve vision. A variety of intraocular lens options are available depending on patient’s vision preferences and presence of astigmatism and other vision correction needs.

Intraocular lens options include:

• Standard (Monofocal or Aspheric) IOL for patients with minimal to no astigmatism. This provides good vision at one distance (typically far vision). Glasses may be required after surgery for activities such as reading or driving.
• Toric IOL for Astigmatism, which simultaneously corrects blurring and distortion, as well as near and distance vision. This may allow freedom from wearing glasses.
• Multifocal IOL (ReSTOR Lens) corrects vision for near, far and intermediate distances. This may allow freedom from wearing glasses.
• Crystalens is an accommodative lens which corrects vision for far and intermediate distances, and may reduce the need for wearing glasses.
• Tecnis IOL which corrects myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism and other vision defects, and provides better night vision than standard IOLs.

With such a wide offering of lens options, Alabama Eye Surgery Center is your best source for cataract surgery in the tristate area.

Yag Laser Capsulotomy

During cataract surgery, the new lens (IOL) was implanted inside the lens membrane or capsule in the eye. In some patients, the capsule thickens and becomes cloudy after surgery, which causes vision to become blurred or cloudy, and may cause glare in bright light or lights at night. This change may occur in the months following surgery, but commonly occurs after about two years. This is treated with Yag Laser Capsulotomy, where the surgeon uses a special lens to apply a laser beam to the capsule, creating a small hole to let in light. Complications after this treatment are uncommon, and the procedure usually allows for vision to be restored to the way it was after cataract surgery.