Laser Cataract Surgery

What causes cataracts?

Cataracts occur when the natural lens of your eye becomes cloudy and causes vision changes, such as blurry, dull, or cloudy eyesight. The most common cause of cataracts is age-related vision decline. As you get older, the proteins in your lens start to break down, causing the clouded lens appearance.

In addition to age, a few other factors may also increase the risk of getting cataracts, such as:

• Having an immediate family member with cataracts
• Overexposure to the sun without protective eyewear
• Having diabetes or other medical conditions that affect the eye
• Corticosteroid use
• Previous eye injury or surgery

Typically, there’s not much you can do to prevent cataracts, and eye surgery is the only way to correct it.  Fortunately, cataract surgery has an excellent success rate and safety profile.

How does laser cataract surgery work?

In the past, cataract surgery was a procedure that required hospitalization and a prolonged recovery time. Today, cataract surgery has become a routine procedure with excellent results and minimal downtime. LensX ® laser-assisted cataract surgery provides the best in predictability and safety. This technology uses a very fast laser to precisely prepare the eye for surgery.

The skilled providers at Fuerst Eye Center are experts at both simple and complex cataract surgery and use an advanced technology suite to optimize cataract surgery outcomes. The laser-assisted cataract surgery they provide is a pain-free outpatient procedure that takes only 15-20 minutes to complete.

Cataract surgery involves removing the cataract and replacing it with an artificial intraocular lens. During the procedure, your ophthalmologist places a device over the eye to relay information about the cataract and surrounding eye tissue. The special imaging, called “optical coherence tomography”, informs the LenSx® laser about the precise location to treat. The innovative LenSx® laser platform enables surgeons to perform some of the most delicate steps of cataract surgery with image-guided visualization and laser precision. The laser is also able to treat small amounts of astigmatism.

Once the procedure is over, you can go straight home with your new vision, free from stitches or eye patches. Improved vision is noted within hours to days of the procedure and stable vision is usually noted within 1-3 weeks. The doctors perform the surgery one eye at a time, typically with a two-week interval, as a safety precaution.

What are the benefits of laser-assisted cataract surgery?

The providers at Fuerst Eye Center use state-of-the-art intraocular lens technology to restore your eyesight with accuracy, consistency, and minimal side effects. Some of the benefits of laser cataract surgery include:

• Advanced precision and safety
• Low risk for complication
• Correction of astigmatism

The providers may also be able to treat glaucoma simultaneously with minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS).

If you have cataracts and want your vision back, schedule a consultation with the highly skilled providers at Fuerst Eye Center by calling the office or requesting an appointment online.