Cataract Surgery Athol | Cataract Surgery Greenfield

Understanding Cataracts

Cataracts usually occur as part of the natural aging process of the eye. While many people think that cataracts are a “film” over the eye, cataracts are actually caused by a gradual clouding of the clear, natural lens inside the eye. As the clouding progresses over time, your vision becomes less sharp. Cataracts develop slowly and painlessly over time. In the early stages, cataract symptoms may be so mild that you may not even realize your vision is changing. However, as cataracts become more dense, you will experience one or more of the following symptoms.

Cataract Self-Test

If you’re over 55 and have noticed cloudy or blurry vision, you may have cataracts. Find out if cataract surgery may help with our self-test.

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What Causes Cataracts?

If we live long enough, everyone will eventually develop cataracts as part of the natural aging process. However, some conditions can cause cataracts to develop more quickly such as glaucoma, diabetes, or an autoimmune disorder, consistent exposure to UV rays, eye injuries or surgeries, and smoking.

Today’s Cataract Surgery – Clear Vision is In Sight!

Dr. Alfred takes a personalized approach to each patient’s treatment plan. He takes the time to understand your goals and how to tailor your best vision for your lifestyle. The Eye Center offers a full range of multi-specialty medical and surgical eye care, including the latest advancements in cataract surgery, microsurgical techniques, and lifestyle lenses that can reduce or eliminate the need for glasses!

Great News if You Have Cataracts!

You may be wondering why we would say such a thing. But the fact of the matter is, once it’s time for cataract surgery, that’s when you can choose the vision you want for the rest of your life!

The Truth About Cataract Surgery

Over 24 million Americans currently have cataracts
90% of people will develop cataracts by the age of 65
Cataract surgery is the most frequently performed surgical procedure in the U.S.
Standard cataract surgery is usually covered by medical insurance, including Medicare

What to Expect

Before advanced cataract surgery is scheduled, you will have a comprehensive cataract evaluation to determine if you’re a good candidate for the procedure. If advanced cataract surgery is recommended, your doctor will review the different options available and give recommendations based on your visual needs and lifestyle. Our cataract experts will take your unique measurements, review the procedure in detail, answer all of your questions, and aid you throughout the pre-operative process.

Step-By-Step

Cataract surgery is typically a quick, outpatient procedure. With modern cataract surgery, there are no shots, no stitches, and no patches. With mild sedation to relax, Dr. Alfred will use gentle drops to completely numb your eye, and you’ll be awake and comfortable.

Step One

Through a micro-incision, Dr. Alfred will break up and gently remove the cloudy cataract-affected lens.

Step Two

A new flexible lens implant is gently inserted into the eye to replace your natural lens.

Step Three

With the cataract removed and the new lens in place, light can once again travel clearly to the back of your eye.

Your Cataract Surgery Options

Patients now have the option to enjoy more freedom from glasses and contacts after their cataract procedure. Many patients are excited to learn that they can reduce, and even eliminate, the need for glasses and contacts, allowing them to enjoy life to its fullest. When you have your comprehensive eye examination with us, we will discuss these options and help you determine which is best for your vision and your lifestyle.

Standard Monofocal

With the Standard Monofocal Package, astigmatism or refractive error is not corrected. You will likely need glasses for all activities.

Enhanced Distance Package

With the Enhanced Distance Package, Customized Wavefront Technology is utilized along with correcting any low-level astigmatism to provide clear vision.

Toric Vision

With the Toric Package, Customized Wavefront Technology is utilized along with correcting higher levels of astigmatism to provide clear distance vision.

Multifocal Vision

The Multifocal Vision Package provides the most amount of independence from glasses for clear distance, intermediate, and distance vision.

Recovery After Cataract Surgery

For many patients, the clarity and color of their vision right after surgery is amazing and surprising. The day after your procedure, your eye is likely to feel somewhat itchy and sensitive to light. This typically subsides within a day or two. There are no patches or significant downtime.

Your initial vision will continue to improve during these first days as you get used to seeing things through your new lens. We will see you to check on your healing and to make sure that you’re on the road to your best visual outcomes. After about a month, recovery should be complete, and you will be back to fully living the life you love!

Cataract Surgery Frequently Asked Questions

It’s never too early to talk to your doctor about cataract surgery. During your thorough eye examination, Dr. Alfred will discuss the condition of your cataracts, a timeline for surgery, and your personalized options in detail. The term “ripe” no longer applies to cataracts. The time for surgery is when cataracts are causing a decrease in your vision that is affecting your ability to perform daily activities.

Although vision can become severely impaired if cataract development is advanced, vision can almost always be fully restored after cataract surgery has been performed.

After your cloudy lens, or cataract, has been removed, the eye lacks the natural lens needed to focus light to provide good vision. In order restore this function, a synthetic lens implant (or intraocular lens) must be inserted. On rare occasions a lens implant is not inserted, and glasses or contact lenses will be necessary to restore vision.

Your ophthalmologist will perform comprehensive testing to determine the correct power of the implant. At The Eye Center, we offer several different options for lens implants that will allow you to see at one distance (Monofocal Lens), or Lifestyle Lenses that may allow you to see at multiple distances. During your appointment, we will discuss your lifestyle, hobbies, occupation, and visual goals so that we can help you make an educated decision for a visual outcome that best suits your needs. These choices provide you with an exciting opportunity to determine a visual outcome that is completely customized just for you!

You will have a comprehensive eye examination with our Ophthalmologist. We will explain the procedure, discuss your options, and answer any questions you may have. If you decide to proceed with surgery, a date will be selected, and your measurements testing will be scheduled. A pre-operative clearance appointment will be scheduled with your Primary Care Physician. This appointment may include bloodwork and an EKG.

The most advanced and most frequently used method by our surgeons is no-stitch, no-patch, no-shot cataract surgery using phacoemulsification (or Phaco). This technique is far superior to any other method used in the United States today and allows us to perform cataract surgery with more precision than ever before. Cataract surgery has improved greatly in recent years. Stitches and eye patches are no longer required for healing. The current method is often pain-free, so an injection of anesthetic is no longer required. When you hear “no-stitch, no-patch, no-shot cataract surgery”, you are hearing about the most advanced cataract surgery available.

Modern cataract surgery that we perform is an outpatient procedure. You will arrive at our fully accredited surgical center or hospital, depending on insurance coverage, an hour before your treatment and will be sent home the same day.

We use a laser to remove any cloudiness that may develop after cataract surgery. This is a very safe, painless, quick treatment called a YAG procedure.

Cataract surgery is one of the safest, most successful procedures performed in the United States today. In fact, more people undergo cataract surgery each year than any other surgical procedure. As with any surgical procedure, there are risks; however, the chance of severe complications is rare. Assuming there are no other issues with the eye that may limit vision, the chance of achieving improved vision after cataract surgery is excellent. Your surgeon will be able to give you a more accurate estimate at the time of your evaluation.

Your eyes may be red immediately following the procedure, and this will resolve over the course of a few weeks. For the first week or two following cataract surgery, your vision may be blurry. You can expect your vision to gradually improve as your eyes heal, gradually stabilizing after about four weeks. During this healing period, your vision may fluctuate from day to day. Most patients are able to resume normal activities the day after the procedure. We will discuss the healing process and restrictions in more detail during your examination.

Glasses or contact lenses, if needed, will be prescribed when your vision has stabilized, typically about four weeks after your procedure.

No, cataract surgery is permanent – you will not get cataracts again. However, in about one-third of cases, a transparent membrane located behind the lens may gradually become cloudy after your treatment. This common condition is treated with a YAG laser during a painless 15-minute procedure here in our office or at our surgery center, whichever is more convenient for you.

You will be prescribed an antibiotic drop, an anti-inflammatory drop, and a steroid drop following your procedure. Additional medications may be prescribed for increased eye pressure or other conditions. Over several weeks, the number of times drops need to be taken will be decreased. You will usually finish your drops by four weeks after surgery. We will provide you with clear instructions. You will be asked to bring all of your eye drops to each visit so that your doctor can show you which drops need to be changed or refilled.