The medical term ‘cataracts’ describes a progressive clouding of the lens inside the eye. The lens is mainly made up of water and protein. As we age, some proteins clump together and start to scatter light, making it difficult for us to see. This condition affects more than 22 million people in the United States. If you have cataracts in Atlanta, Dr. Leonard Achiron is the person to see. He is one of the best cataract specialists in the city. There are various ways to address cataracts, including:
Surgery
Cataracts are generally treated with surgery in a procedure is known as an Anterior Capsulotomy. During this outpatient treatment, your doctor makes a small incision on the white part of the eye (the sclera) and creates a bubble inside the lens capsule. Once the bubble is made, it pushes forward and breaks up the protein clumps so that light can once again enter our eyes and we can see clearly. The bubble will dissipate in one to two weeks, leaving your eye clear of cataracts.
Your doctor utilizes the latest technology when performing anterior capsulotomy for cataracts, such as:
WaveLight® EX500 Laser. This technology uses an infrared beam to create a bubble that breaks up the clumped proteins inside your eye’s lens, which corrects your vision without having to make an incision on your cornea (the transparent layer on top of your eyeball). It also provides less pain and swelling than regular lasers after surgery.
Alcon LenSx® Laser. Like the WaveLight® EX500, this technology also uses an infrared beam, but it is a little stronger and can correct those with moderate cataracts.
Lens Replacement Surgery. With this procedure, your doctor will remove your natural lenses so they cannot cause any more problems. Then he will replace them with artificial ones, which are called Intraocular Lenses or IOLs. The two types of IOLs are:
Monofocal Lens. This type gives you single vision, so if you want to read without glasses after surgery, you would have to do nearsightedness or farsightedness corrections through monovision.
Contact Lens. This type of lens allows you to see at all distances. You can see near and far without glasses or contacts after surgery.
Laser Refractive Surgery. If you need a refractive correction to avoid glasses, your doctor can use lasers to correct your vision before cataract surgery and after your procedure with the Intraocular Lenses.
Benefits of Cataract Surgery
- Improve vision – After surgery, many patients dramatically improve their vision, which allows them to reduce or get rid of using glasses and contacts.
- Reduced eye pressure – The cloudiness of the lens can block fluid from draining out of your eyes, causing higher eye pressure which may damage the optic nerve behind your retina. Cataract surgery can result in lower eye pressure because there is no cataract blocking the fluid any longer.
- Halos and Glare decrease – If you were bothered by light reflecting off objects at night before surgery, that symptom should be reduced significantly after surgery as well.
- Overall improved quality of life – With a clear vision, there are many activities you can do without having to worry about your vision.
- Minimize risks of other eye conditions – Cataracts are often associated with other eye issues such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy. If cataracts are removed before these conditions progress too far, you reduce the risk that they will cause permanent damage to your eyesight.
Cataract surgery is done in an ambulatory surgical center which allows patients to leave within two hours after surgery with minimal pain.
Set up a consultation today with a specialist in your area to help correct your vision problems caused by cataracts.
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