Cataract Eye Surgery

in Visalia, Fresno and Tulare, California

A cataract is a clouding of the normally clear, crystalline lens located behind your iris. When light enters the eye, the lens reflects it onto the retina. When the lens becomes cloudy or opaque, light cannot enter as easily, or not at all. The lens also hardens, making it increasingly difficult to focus on near objects. Cataracts are most commonly caused by aging.

How a cataract patient sees.(Simulation)

What Can Be Done About Cataracts?

When a cataract has begun to form, it cannot be reversed. The only way to be rid of them is to have them surgically removed.

Cataract Surgery

Cataract eye surgery involves one of two procedures, depending upon the type of cataract being removed. Regardless of which procedure is used, results are almost immediate.

If the cataract is soft, the process of phacoemulsification can be used to remove it. A small incision is made under the iris. A thin instrument is inserted into the "bag" behind the iris (which contains the lens). This instrument delivers a number of sonic waves, which cause the cataract to break up into many smaller pieces. These pieces can then be suctioned out, leaving the "bag" intact. An artificial lens which can be folded up is then placed in the bag. Once inside, the folded lens expands to fill up the place left empty by the cataract. The incision made in the eye in this procedure is so small it does not need to be sutured shut.

However, if the cataract is hard, it cannot be broken up through phacoemulsification. Another procedure must be used. This technique is the most common, used for both kinds of cataracts before phacoemulsification came around. In this procedure, a larger incision is made in the eye, and the entire cataract is removed in one piece. An artificial lens (this one does not fold) is then inserted into the "bag". The incision in this procedure is large enough that it does require sutures in order to heal properly. These sutures will be removed within a few days during a follow-up examination.

Cataract patients are conscious throughout the entire procedure. A mild sedative may be given, and the eye is numbed prior to surgery. When the cataract is removed, the patient can only see a jumble of colors and lights. When the new lens is implanted, the patient can see immediately, although things may be a bit hazy at first. Cataract eye surgery is an outpatient procedure, which means that within an hour of surgery, you can go home to enjoy your clear new world of vision!

After Surgery

Sometimes, after having cataract extraction surgery, the capsule (or "bag") in which the artificial IOL is contained can cloud over, causing a secondary or posterior capsular cataract. This is treatable with the use of the YAG laser. The laser is used to make a small hole in the capsule, which allows light to go through the lens again. This procedure doesn't take very long, and the results are almost immediate!

Click here for Frequently Asked Questions about Cataract Surgery.

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