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Questions Regarding Cataract Surgery
Do you have questions about the procedures, treatments or services that we provide? Below is a list of some frequently asked questions, but please feel free to call our office if you need additional information, 262.241.1919. We are always pleased to assist you.
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What are the latest advances in cataract surgery? |
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Premium lens implants are the newest innovation in this already great procedure. At time of cataract surgery, we gently remove your natural lens and replace it with a small plastic implant. In the past, our only option was to use an implant that would improve your distance vision. This meant that you still needed glasses to read close-up. Now we have Crystalens Premium lens implants that allow you to see far away, close up and everywhere in-between without glasses after cataract surgery.
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How does the Crystalens work? |
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 The Crystalens actually moves in your eye to allow focusing at different distances, much like your natural lens did before you needed reading glasses in your mid 40’s. When you are looking at something far away, the Crystalens rotates backward to allow clear vision. Then when you look at something closer, the lens shifts forward allowing you to read. The best near vision is at about 14 inches with the Crystalens, making computers and lap reading optimal.
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Does the Cryslalens allow me to see perfectly at every distance, just like a 40 year-old? |
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 That would be too good to be true! What the lens does is allow you to be relatively free of glasses. You still might need glasses to see things very close or small such as maps, phone books or the backs of medicine bottles. For those rare activities, you would probably need weak over-the-counter reading glasses. In contrast, if you had a conventional lens implant you would need glasses 100% of the time in order to see anything closer than about 3 feet away.
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Is the Crystalens my only option to read without glasses after cataract surgery? |
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No. You could elect to have the implants set for monovision. This means that we correct one eye for distance vision and the other for near vision. Again, you would be relatively free of glasses but would loose some of you depth perception - potentially making driving and activities such as golf a problem. In addition, there are several other lenses on the market that allow reading and distance vision but have the downside of glare symptoms at night. Since the re-design of the Crystalens in 2007, these other lenses have not been favored by our patients.
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Are there any drawbacks to the Crystalens? |
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One disadvantage is that you may require a slight refractive adjustment with a laser to improve your vision after the cataract surgery. There cannot be any residual near-sightedness, far-sightedness or astigmatism after the cataract surgery for the lenses to work optimally.
Another disadvantage is cost. While the fees associated with your actual cataract surgery are probably covered by your insurance or Medicare, the up-grade to a Premium lens implant would not be. These extra fees are for the additional testing necessary before surgery, the added cost of the implant and any refractive adjustments required to optimize your vision after surgery. The added fee is $2150 per eye. But if you dislike glasses, wouldn't it be worth it to be able to see both close up and far away without them after your cataract surgery?
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What implant is best for me? |
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 Consider your visual needs and how you feel about glasses. The Crystalens Premium lens implant is ideal for those with active lifestyles who are annoyed by glasses. They allow you to turn a potentially negative condition, cataracts, into an opportunity to expand your vision.
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How can I tell if I have a cataract? |
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You can't really tell if you have a cataract without a complete examination by an ophthalmologist. The symptoms of a cataract are a gradual blurring of you vision, mainly for distance, and problems seeing at night due to glare or halos around lights. But blurred vision can have many causes, thus the need for the examination. Cataracts usually develop slowly so any rapid change in vision, for instance over night, is probably due to a more serious problem and requires immediate attention.
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What is cataract surgery like? |
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 Cataract surgery is an out-patient procedure that usually takes 10 or 15 minutes. You are at the surgical facility 3 or 4 hours, however, to prepare for the surgery and recover. Be sure to arrange for a ride home afterwards because we do use mild IV sedation.
Once in the operating room, you lie on your back and look at a bright light during the procedure. Generally no shots, stitches or patches are required. You are relaxed but can hear everything that is going on during the procedure. Dr. Jay will explain what is happening and where you are suppose to look. It is important that you not move or talk during the procedure - just keep looking at the light.
Cataract surgery is not generally painful during the procedure or afterwards.
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What exactly is a cataract? |
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A cataract is a clouding of your natural lens, located behind your pupil. The lens contains protein that degenerates with age. When you are about 45 years-old, this change in the lens protein makes the natural lens firmer and that's why reading glasses are needed at that time. Later, the lens protein begins to change color which makes the lens cloudy. The result is a cataract and blurred vision.
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Exactly what is the doctor doing during cataract surgery? |
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 Dr. Jay makes a tiny incision in the eye towards your ear that is less than 3 mm in size. She then breaks up your natural lens with sound waves and gently vacuums it out. All the instruments are very small and are viewed through a microscope. Once the lens has been removed, it is replaced with a tiny implant. If we did not use an implant, you would need thick glasses or contact lenses to see as was done 20 years ago.
As noted above, we now have the choice of placing an implant to maximize your distance vision only or one to allow both near and distance vision (Crystalens Premium lens implants) without glasses after surgery.
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Are there any possible complications with cataract surgery? Can anything go wrong? |
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Cataract surgery is very safe and one of the most common operations in America. But it is surgery and problems could occur. Very severe complications such as bleeding, infection or blindness are fortunately rare - on the order of one in 200,000.
A more common, but still rare, potential complication is for the thin membrane behind the lens to break or for the small muscles that hold the natural lens in place to weaken. This could result in part of the lens going into the back of the eye. This is a fixable problem that occurs less than 1% of the time. On occasion, it may require a second surgery.
The bottom line is that 95% of patients are thrilled with cataract surgery and their recovery.
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What happens, step by step, if I decide to have cataract surgery? |
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Once we determine that you do have a cataract, our surgical coordinator will find a date for surgery and a time for you to return to be measured for the lens implant. Your post-operative appointments will also be arranged. You will be asked to call your primary care doctor to schedule a pre-operative history and physical.
When you return for the lens measurements, which takes about an hour, we will give you’re a kit containing eye drops and explain how they are to be used.
On the day of surgery, you will be asked to change into a hospital gown. You may leave your undergarments on. An IV will be started and you will be placed on a gurney.
Once in the operating room, you should feel no pain and just concentrate on looking at the light. You will be in the operating room about 30 minutes and the procedure will take about 10 minutes.
Afterwards, you will return to you family or waiting friends for a light snack. You will be able to go home in 30 to 45 minutes after the surgery.
We will see you the next day in the office to be sure your healing is going well.
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Do all doctors do cataract surgery the same way? |
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Unfortunately no.
 Dr. Jay takes pride in providing her patients with the latest innovations in cataract surgery and eye care. Through continued education she has consistently offered her patients the newest and best techniques available. That's why she generally does the small incision cataract surgery. The result is a no-stitch, no-patch and no-shot procedure. This makes the surgery quicker, safer and recovery more rapid.
The Crystalens Premium lens implants are another example of Dr. Jay being at the forefront of the field of ophthalmology.
Are there other questions we have not addressed? Give us a call or chick on "Contact Us."
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