Cataract Surgery

Cataracts are a clouding of the internal lens in the eye that typically occurs in older patients. The clouding may be gradual, but it will result in a dimming of colors and ultimately a loss of vision. Fortunately, cataract surgery is a quick and effective procedure that eliminates cataracts forever, and may be able to give you years of glasses-free vision. This page contains some background information about cataract surgery, but it cannot give personalized recommendations about the procedure. To receive recommendations from a doctor about your cataract surgery, please call 1-800-277-3937 or email the Eye Surgery Center of Louisiana today for an appointment.

Understanding Cataract Surgery

The eye has two lenses that it uses to focus your vision. The outer lens, called the cornea, is fixed, but your eye has another lens inside, designed to be clear and flexible so your eye can focus on objects at different distances. Unfortunately, this lens changes over time, becoming less able to focus (which is why many people need reading glasses or bifocals later in life), and then becoming cloudy. The amount of clouding your lens experiences and the age at which it clouds is mostly controlled by genetics, so it’s likely to be similar to the age your parents experienced it. But it can also be influenced by eye injury, nutrition, and the amount of time you spend outdoors. There is no way to make the eye’s lens clear again. Instead, cataract surgery removes the lens and replaces it with a clear artificial lens. To learn more about the cataract surgery procedure, see Questions about Cataract Surgery. Click here to learn more about Cataract Surgery and What to Expect.

Lens Options in Cataract Surgery

Since the 1940s, surgeons have been able to replace the eye’s natural lens with an artificial lens to give improved vision after cataract surgery. However, until recently, the lenses used were monofocal lenses—they only allowed you to focus on distant objects. Some patients could drive without glasses, but most needed bifocals on a daily basis. Now we are able to offer two more options for cataract surgery patients: Toric Lenses and Lifestyle Lenses.

Toric lenses are special lenses that correct astigmatism. If you have astigmatism, you might need glasses all the time after cataract surgery. With Toric lenses, you might be able to drive and enjoy outdoor activities without glasses, and you can use off-the-rack reading glasses instead of expensive prescription ones. Lifestyle lenses are advanced lens options that mean you may be able to enjoy most of your daily activities without glasses or bifocals. The use of lifestyle lenses is not covered by Medicare or private insurance, so it requires an additional cost.

During your consultation, we will talk about this important decision because it must be made before surgery—it is not advisable to try to change lenses after your cataract surgery.

Why Choose Eye Surgery Center of Louisiana for Cataract Surgery?

In cataract surgery, your surgeon’s technique and experience matter. See How to Choose a Cataract Surgeon for detailed recommendations about choosing your cataract surgeon. Remember, a surgeon’s support staff is also very important. Most of the people in our office have been with us for a decade or more. We perform cataract surgery in accredited surgical centers or hospitals where experienced personnel ensure you get the best possible care.

To learn more about what makes us the right place for your cataract surgery, please schedule an appointment at one of our New Orleans-area locations.

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