Orange County Cataracts

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Cataracts & Refractive Surgery

Cataracts

Have you been diagnosed with cataracts? Do you suspect you may have cataracts? You are not alone. More than fifty percent of those over age 60, and some even younger, deal with clouded or blurry vision as a result of cataracts.

What are cataracts?

Cataracts occur as a result of protein buildup on your eye’s natural lens (the part of your eye that enables you to focus and view images clearly). This buildup causes objects to appear cloudy or blurry.

Click on an image below to download PDF for more information

Causes

You may be at a higher risk for cataracts if any of the following apply:

• Aging
• Past injury
• Family history
• Smoking
• Long-term exposure to ultraviolet light
• Exposure to radiation

Symptoms

Symptoms may include:

• The impression that colors are less vibrant
• Blurry, clouded, or double vision
• The feeling of a layer of film over your eyes
• The frequent need to change corrective eyewear prescriptions

If you suspect you may have cataracts, or just want to check your eye health, contact us to set up an appointment today!

Cataract Refractive Surgery

At Complete Eye Care Associates, we can treat your cataracts with refractive surgery, which would not only remove your cataracts, but also correct your vision at all distances in the process. This means that post-surgery, you could live bifocal-free!

Here are just a few of the advantages you’ll experience after cataract refractive surgery:

• More independence
• Better vision in low light
• More vibrant colors
• Sharper vision, enabling you to drive again
• A better quality of life overall!

What to Expect with Your Surgery

Before Surgery:

• Schedule a consultation and eye exam so we can determine whether this treatment is the best option for you. We’ll discuss what you can expect before, during, and after surgery, and answer any questions you may have.
• You’ll need to go without contact lenses for a certain period of time leading up to your eye exam. This helps us to obtain the most accurate reading of your visual acuity during your exam, since contacts can slightly alter the shape of your cornea. The length of time that you’ll go without contacts depends on contact type; we can provide the specifics.
• To protect yourself from infection, go without creams, cosmetics, or perfumes the day before and the day of your surgery.
• Ask someone to give you a ride to and from your surgery. We ask that you wait to drive for 24 hours after your surgery. This allows time for the anesthetic to wear off and for the results of the surgery to take full effect.
• Plan to take a few days off from work and other strenuous daily activities after your surgery.
• Confirm your arrival time for surgery with us.
• Plan to be free from your typical activities on the day of your surgery; you will need to set this time aside for rest and recovery.

During Surgery:

1. We will give you an eye-drop anesthetic to numb your eye, and clean the area around your eye.
2. We’ll put a gentle spring device called a lid retainer in place to hold your eyelids open.
3. You’ll be asked to stare at a light so we can ensure correct positioning of your eye.
4. The surgeon will make a tiny 2.2 mm incision in your cornea.
5. Your natural lens will be removed, and replaced with an Intraocular lens (IOL), a small acrylic lens measuring 6 mm wide. You can choose one of the following IOLs to replace your natural lens:
   • Monofocal (corrects vision at one distance)
   • Toric (corrects vision for astigmatism)
   • Multifocal (corrects your vision at all distances)
6. Stitches are rarely necessary. Eye drops and a clear plastic shield will be used to complete the procedure.

After Surgery:

You may temporarily experience the following:

• Watery or irritated eyes
• Slight pain or discomfort
• Blurry vision

These symptoms should disappear a few days after surgery. We’ll provide eye drops to help speed the healing process.

You’ll also be given a special pair of protective sunglasses to wear while your eyes are healing. During this period of time, please do not replace these sunglasses with your own; these are specially designed to protect your eyes from any exposure during the healing process. Also, do not wear contact lenses while you are recovering from this surgery.

Be sure to attend follow-up appointments so that we can monitor your healing process.

To view a video on Cataract Surgery, visit http://www.trustedlasiksurgeons.com/cataracts.htm

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