Cataracts are a common, easily treatable condition that cause a slow progressive clouding of the eye’s natural lens. Millions of people, including more than half of those over age 65, suffer from the common symptoms of cataract:

• Foggy, blurred, dim, or hazy vision
• Trouble driving at night, such as glare from oncoming headlights
• Trouble with sunglare
• Seeing halos around lights
• Overall poor vision at night
• Frequent changes in eyeglass or contact lens prescription
• Double-vision or “ghost images”

If visual difficulties begin to interfere with your ability to read, work or do the things you enjoy, it may be time to consider cataract and implant lens surgery.

Fortunately, modern cataract removal and lens implantation now offer the chance to not just to restore vision, but to greatly improve it. Most individuals can obtain great vision without the need for glasses!

To begin the process, Dr. Pajka or Dr. Estrovich will first perform a thorough exam and obtain laser scans of the eye. During this extensive testing, you will be checked for glaucoma, your retina will be evaluated for conditions such as macular degeneration, and the health, shape, and regularity of your cornea will be evaluated. The surgeon will determine whether you have a cataract, and whether you are a good candidate for surgery. He will then discuss your customized implant lens options, and help you determine which would be best for you.

Cataract surgery is the most commonly performed surgical procedure in the United States. It is popular because it can be performed quickly, painlessly, and with a minimal risk of complications.  Dr. Pajka and Dr. Estrovich perform cataract surgery at our own specialized outpatient Vision Surgery Center, which is fully certified by Medicare, and accredited for quality by the prestigious Joint Commission. Since this is such a safe surgery, preoperative testing, such as blood work and EKG, is not required. Patients do not need to stop blood thinners for this procedure. Usually, the entire visit to our surgery center is completed in about two hours.

Our surgeons use an advanced technique of cataract removal that is painless and results in nearly immediate return of good vision.

Preoperatively, eye drops are placed and intravenous sedation is administered to provide a light ‘twilight’ sleep, ensuring comfort and minimal anxiety. The surgical procedure itself is painless. During the 6-10 minute procedure, the eye is made completely numb using eyedrops alone. No needle injections are used. Gentle ultrasound waves are used to dissolve and remove the clouded lens through a tiny self-sealing incision, and a permanent lens implant is placed to refocus the eye and reduce the need for glasses. Afterwards, no patch or shield over the eye is required.

Postoperatively, more eyedrops are administered, and instructions are given. There are no restrictions to physical activities, except for swimming (not allowed for two weeks). Some patients experience a bit of a watery or scratchy eye the day of surgery; by the following morning, almost all are comfortable, and most are surprised at how well they can see on the very first day!

During your cataract procedure, a permanently implanted lens will be inserted into the eye to restore focus. Depending on your choice of lens, you may be able to achieve both near and distance vision without the need for glasses or contacts.

Advanced premium multifocal implant lenses such as Panoptix offer most patients good vision for tasks at all distances, including reading, driving, and computer, without any glasses at all!

Astigmatism-correcting “toric” intraocular lenses allow individuals with astigmatism (who don’t mind reading glasses) the ability to see clearly at far distance without glasses.

Patients who prefer to wear glasses with bifocals full-time after their surgery can opt for a more basic implant lens option.

Insurance carriers, including Medicare, only provide coverage for the more basic implant lenses, and most patients receiving these lenses will need to wear prescription bifocal glasses to see well afterwards. Advanced implant lenses, along with the additional testing and procedures required to optimize best vision without glasses, are not covered by insurance, and carry some additional out-of-pocket expense.