Say No to Cataracts – Live Life in High Def
What is Cataract Surgery?
A cataract is a clouding of the normally clear lens of your eye. Cataract surgery is a procedure to remove the clouded lens and replace it with an artificial lens. Cataract surgery, the most commonly performed and safest surgery in the United States, is performed by Dr. Kouyoumdjian (we call him Dr. K), our fellowship trained corneal specialist on an outpatient basis.
Cataract surgery with Dr. K typically takes less than 10 minutes to perform. Eye drops are used to dilate your pupil. You will be given a sedative to help you relax and a local anesthetic to numb the eye. During the procedure, you may remain awake but will be groggy. Dr. K will remove the cataract and implant a clear, artificial lens into in its place. This implant is known as an intraocular lens (IOL). Following surgery, you won’t be able to see or feel the lens. It requires no care and becomes a permanent part of your eye.
If you have cataracts in both eyes, Dr. K typically schedules a second surgery a few days to weeks later to remove the cataract in your other eye. Cataract surgery successfully restores vision in 99.7% of people who have the procedure.
Alcon ACRYSOF® IOLs
What are Intraocular Lenses?
Intraocular Lenses (IOL) are made from flexible acrylic plastic or silicone that is about one-third the size of a dime. Like your eye’s natural lens, an IOL focuses light that comes into your eye. Intraocular lenses contain prescriptions to give you the best vision possible, just like your glasses or contacts do. These lenses have small, spring-loaded arms, which hold the lens in place, as shown.
Today cataract patients can select from three categories of IOLs. We at Vision Care Specialists design vision solutions around the individual. Our exclusive LifeFit™ Approach begins with a complete understanding of your vision needs and then incorporates your unique personal brand and sense of style. This provides the best eye care solutions for you.
(1) Monofocal Lenses
Monofocal lenses provide a single best corrected vision at far, intermediate or near distances (not all three). For example, if you choose to correct your distance vision, following surgery you will need to obtain a pair of prescription reading glasses.
(2) Toric Lenses
Toric IOLs are monofocal lenses designed to correct astigmatism, a condition where the cornea and/or the lens is oval-shaped on a microscopic level. Different models of this toric IOL can correct 1.50 to 4.50D of astigmatism. Patients with significant degrees of astigmatism are usually most satisfied with toric IOLs.
(3) ReSTOR® Lenses
Multifocal, or presbyopia-correcting, IOLs provide vision at multiple distances giving patients the option to reduce or possibly eliminate their dependence on eyeglasses. This is achieved through a series of focal zones or rings that are designed into the IOL. These rings allow patients to see both near and distant objects clearly.
The best outcomes are achieved when multifocal IOLs are placed in both eyes. Thus it usually takes 6 to 12 weeks for the brain to adapt to the new lenses and for vision improvements to be complete. For some patients multifocal IOLs reduce but do not eliminate the need for glasses or contact lenses.
Which IOL is right for you?
That’s where our exclusive LifeFit™ Approach fits in. Dr. K and his staff know that your vision is sacred and will spend as much time as necessary to help you determine how to proceed. After all, everyone deserves to see the world in high-def!
Experience life again in High-Def
Call 303-991-9600 or request an appointment online
