Cataracts

Nearly twenty-five million people in the United States have vision problems caused by cataracts. While some cataracts develop earlier in life because of genetics or injury, most develop due to the natural process of aging.

The chances of developing cataracts increase dramatically as a person gets older. Fortunately, there’s a proven surgical procedure that can restore or even improve vision.

During cataract surgery, a cataract surgeon can remove the cloudy natural lens and replace it with a clear artificial lens. At Dominion Eye Care, our cataract surgeons have the experience and expertise to perform advanced cataract surgery using the latest techniques and technology to optimize your vision and reduce your dependence on glasses after the surgery.

What is a Cataract?

The natural lens of the eye focuses incoming light onto the retina, which then processes the light into distinct images. In order for your vision to be sharp and clear, the lens must be transparent so that the light can pass through.

A cataract occurs when the natural lens becomes clouded. This can happen because of traumatic injury, radiation, or the use of certain drugs, among other things.

For most people, though, cataracts occur due to the natural aging process that happens within the eye. As you age, the proteins inside your natural lens begin to break down and clump together.

Over time, this causes your lens to become cloudy, affecting your vision and everyday life.

What Are the Signs of Cataracts?

Cataracts typically develop slowly over several years. In some cases, you might not even notice any changes to your vision at first.

However, as cataracts advance, you may begin to experience a number of symptoms. The most common are:

• Blurry vision
• Seeing double or “ghost-like” images in your field of vision
• Halos or starbursts around lights
• Increased glare
• A decrease in the vividness of bright colors

IOLs Available at Dominion Eye Care

There’s no way to restore  a natural lens once a cataract has  developed. The only way to restore vision affected by cataracts is to remove the clouded lens and replace it with an artificial implant known as an intraocular lens or IOL.

When IOLs were first developed, patients had few choices when it came to lens implants. Today, there are several types of IOLs to match a variety of budgets, vision goals and lifestyles.

At Dominion Eye Care, our cataract surgeons offer the following IOLs:

Monofocal IOL

The monofocal IOL has a single point of focus, usually set for distance vision. Those who choose this type of lens will typically enjoy improved vision at far ranges but will require glasses for reading or seeing up close and at intermediate (computer) ranges. Many patients also have a degree of astigmatism (irregularities in the shape of the eye). Astigmatism is not corrected by the monofocal IOL and patients may still find a need for glasses correction for both distance and reading ranges as a result.

Also referred to as a standard lens, a monofocal IOL is covered by insurance.

Vivity IOL

Extended depth of focus  IOLs (EDOF) have more than one point of focus to accommodate different ranges of distance. The Vivity IOL improves on the EDOF design through a unique technology known as X-WAVE.

This innovative breakthrough enables the lens to provide a greater range of distance vision than other EDOF lenses, with a smoother transition from one point of focus to another.

PanOptix Trifocal IOL

If you currently wear bifocal or trifocal glasses or contacts, the PanOptix Trifocal IOL could be your ideal replacement lens. As the name suggests, these lenses have three focus points to allow clear vision at near, intermediate, and far distances.

Opting for the PanOptix Trifocal IOL could mean not having to switch between different pairs of glasses when viewing at different distances as the lens allows for a wide range of vision from distance to intermediate to near vision.

Toric IOL

Cataract patients with irregular-shaped corneas (astigmatism) have an added obstacle to clearer vision. Even after cataract treatment, they may still encounter some blurriness with their eyesight at all ranges of vision.

The Toric IOL helps alleviate that issue. This lens implant contains special markers on the edges of the lens, which the surgeon uses to rotate and align the inserted lens to neutralize the astigmatism from the cornea.

With the Toric IOL, those with astigmatism have an opportunity for optimal vision after surgery. The Toric IOL can be utilized as a monofocal, Vivity, or Panoptix lens.

Tecnis Eyhance IOL

The Tecnis Eyhance IOL provides the same clear vision at far distances as traditional monofocal lenses but with the possibility of sharper vision at intermediate distances. The lens has a special design called extended depth of focus (EDOF).

In this design, the center part of the lens is slightly raised compared to the rest of the lens. This helps to smoothly increase the lens’s focusing power, allowing it to provide clear vision at different distances.

Laser Cataract Surgery (FLACS) with ALLY® by LensAR

Traditional cataract surgery involves the manual removal of the clouded lens by a cataract surgeon using a scalpel to make incisions. However, over the past decade, the use of laser systems in cataract surgery has become increasingly popular.

Laser cataract surgery offers several advantages over traditional scalpel surgery, including improved accuracy, shorter procedure times, added safety, and a potentially more comfortable and expedited recovery experience for patients. Laser cataract surgery also offers the ability to help correct astigmatism and provide optimal visual outcomes afterwards. At Dominion Eye Care, our cataract surgeons are experts at laser cataract surgery using the advanced ALLY® Cataract Treatment System by LensAR, one of the most advanced laser treatment platforms for cataract surgery currently available.

The ALLY® system utilizes a next-generation augmented reality laser that is faster than similar cataract lasers and provides the surgeon with a detailed three-dimensional image of the patient’s eye during the procedure. These features enable the ALLY® system to reduce procedure time more effectively than other systems while simultaneously enhancing precision and accuracy.

By choosing laser cataract surgery with the ALLY® system at Dominion Eye Care, you can benefit from a state-of-the-art treatment option that prioritizes safety, efficiency, and optimal visual outcomes.

How Do I Know If I Need to Have Cataract Surgery?

You should consider cataract surgery once your symptoms become noticeable and begin to interfere with your everyday activities. Since your brain is very good at adjusting to changes in your vision, you might not even notice how much your vision has worsened over time.

That’s why it’s important to have regular eye exams, especially once you reach the age of forty. Your eye doctor can detect a developing cataract even before you notice any symptoms.

What is the Recovery Like After Cataract Surgery?

Cataract surgery and the recovery period afterward have come a long way over the past few decades. Many patients see improvement in their vision a day or two after the procedure and usually recover fully within a month.

You can ensure a smooth recovery by following your eye doctor’s post-surgery instructions, such as avoiding strenuous activities or heavy lifting for at least a day, and not touching or rubbing the affected eye for at least a week. You should take any prescribed eye drops as instructed to reduce the chances of infection and ensure a smooth recovery.

If you notice anything that seems out of the ordinary, you should contact your eye doctor immediately. It’s also important to make sure you return to your doctor for any scheduled follow-up visits.

Are you experiencing symptoms of cataracts? Schedule a cataract evaluation at Dominion Eye Care in Manassas, VA, today!