Small Incision Cataract Surgery

What is a cataract?
The eye is a remarkable organ and works very similar to a camera. Inside the eye there is a lens, a clear structure located just behind the pupil. This lens focuses light onto the retina where the images are collected and transmitted to the brain. If the lens becomes cloudy, images will be distorted much like looking through a window that has been covered with ice.

Cataracts are a common problem and are usually a result of the aging process. Many patients, however, can develop cataracts at an early age, often related to their genetic history, certain illnesses, or even medications. Therefore, any change in your vision should be investigated for the possibility of a cataract.

Symptoms of a cataract can be very subtle in the early stages. Commonly, patients begin to develop difficulty with driving, especially at night or in the rain and have problems with their depth perception. As the cataract progresses, patients experience glare from bright sun or oncoming headlights. Any of these symptoms may indicate an early sign of cataracts.

New Lens Options For Cataract Surgery
There are many factors to consider when determining the best way of treating your cataracts including age, lifestyle and the health of your eye. For over 50 years, eye surgeons have used lens implants to replace the eye’s natural lens but until recently, every lens implant has provided only a single fixed point of vision. New lens implants can now provide patients multiple focal points to provide reading and distance vision without glasses after cataract surgery. Three of the most successful intraocular lens implants which have FDA approval are the Crystalens®, ReZoom™ and the ReSTOR® IOL. Each implant works slightly different and may allow selected patients the ability to see far and near without glasses. Most lens implants will last the life-time of patients. It is very important for patients who are undergoing cataract surgery to fully understand the lens implant options that are available to them.

Toric IOL Lens Implants
One of the newest methods to treat astigmatism for cataract patients is replacing the human lens with an intraocular lens designed to treat this condition. Traditionally, during cataract surgery, the human lens is replaced with a monofocal intraocular lens which does not correct astigmatism. The new AcrySof® Toric intraocular lens implant is similar to a soft toric contact lens in that a certain degree of power is placed in the lens at a precise location to compensate for the corneal astigmatism. The unique design of the AcrySof® Toric IOL makes it possible to reduce or eliminate corneal astigmatism and significantly improve uncorrected distance vision.

Lens Options

• Crystalens®
• ReZoom™
• ReSTOR® IOL
• AcrySof® Toric IOL

Small Incision Cataract Surgery?
Cataract surgery is one of the most successful operations in all of medicine. With small incision cataract surgery, there are virtually no restrictions because the incisions are only 3mm in size. During the procedure, a special instrument is placed through this small incision into the eye, which breaks up the cataract with ultrasound and removes the fragments. This method is known as phacoemulsification. An Intraocular Lens (IOL) made of special foldable material is then placed in the eye. This can be placed through the small opening and enlarged inside the eye to its full 6mm size. This lens will focus images clearly again onto the retina surface. There are significant benefits to the small type of surgery, the most important being fast visual rehabilitation. There is no irritation from stitches and in most cases none are used. This allows our patients to get back to their routine activities almost immediately. This procedure is performed on an outpatient basis at the Columbus Eye Surgery Center located at 5965 East Broad Street, Suite 460.