Home » Blog » Am I A Candidate For Laser Cataract Surgery?

Posted by: Georgia Eye Associates in Cataracts

Are cataracts making it difficult for you to see clearly? Are you experiencing blurry vision?

How about halos around lights at night, or a sharp loss of vision? These are symptoms of cataracts.

Cataracts can develop to the point that your vision limits your daily activity. This is because you have lost enough vision or your vision is too blurry.

You will need cataract surgery when you can no longer complete your daily routine. The only way to treat cataracts is to remove them.

This requires removing the natural lens of your eye during cataract surgery. There are two types of cataract surgery: laser cataract surgery, and traditional. Keep reading to find out if you may be a candidate for laser cataract surgery!

Traditional Cataract Surgery

Traditional cataract surgery removes the natural lens of the eye through an incision made in the lens. This is where the cataract develops.

The cataract is actually the clouding of proteins in the lens of the eye. During traditional cataract surgery, the incision is made with a scalpel. The surgeon will create a big enough incision to remove the cataract.

After creating the incision, your doctor will then use ultrasound waves to break apart the cataract. After breaking apart the cataract, it’s removed using suction.

Laser Cataract Surgery

Laser cataract surgery is very similar to the traditional method. The difference lies in how the incision is made. Laser cataract surgery utilizes laser technology to make this incision.

Laser cataract surgery is less invasive as it uses laser technology and not a hand-held scalpel. This leads to a more precise and exact incision being made in the eye.

The laser technology scans your eye to locate the exact location of where to make the incision. This ensures that your surgeon only makes one incision.

Laser cataract surgery is for patients that want a premium IOL implanted during their procedure. It is also a better choice for patients that have astigmatism and need a toric lens as they cannot be implanted during traditional cataract surgery.

Cataract Surgery Candidacy

Cataract surgery is the only way to remove cataracts. It is also one of the most commonly performed surgeries. You need to have a cataract to have the procedure.

You also need to be in good enough health to undergo cataract surgery. Talk to your ophthalmologist if you don’t think you’re a candidate for cataract surgery.

Most cataract patients undergo the surgery in their fifties or sixties. This is because most patients do not develop cataracts until they are in their forties.

Age is not an eliminating factor for cataract surgery. You should consider cataract surgery when cataracts keep you from completing your daily routine.

Artificial Lens Replacement

Your surgeon will remove the natural lens of your eye during your procedure. They will then replace your natural lens with an artificial lens.

This is called an intraocular lens, or an IOL for short. You and your eye doctor will discuss the different kinds of IOLs available before you have cataract surgery.

You should take your lifestyle and visual needs into account before choosing an artificial lens. This is the case whether you have traditional cataract surgery or laser cataract surgery.

Ready to leave cataracts behind you? The first step is a cataract screening. Schedule one with Georgia Eye Associates in Atlanta, GA now!

Tags: Cataract Surgery Atlanta, Cataracts Atlanta, Cataracts Buckhead, Georgia Eye Associates, Laser Cataract Surgery Atlanta

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