Cataracts

A cataract is a “clouding” of the natural crystalline lens inside your eye. It is similar to a steamed-up or blurred focusing lens inside a camera. There are many causes of cataract development, including inherited diseases and diabetes. Most are thought to be caused by sunlight exposure over many years, but cataracts can occur at any age, even in newborn babies.

When the crystalline lens creates difficulty with visual tasks, is causing glaucoma, or is otherwise endangering the eye, we remove it using a surgical procedure called phacoemulsification with implantation. Despite some popular claims and beliefs, cataracts cannot be magically “beamed out” of the eye with the laser.

Phacoemulsification with implantation is the most advanced technique for the removal of cataracts. Your surgeon creates a tiny incision and removes the cataract by using an ultrasonic tip vibrating at 40,000+ times per second.

Dr. Ferguson then positions a permanent implant, selected especially for you, which focuses light similarly to the way that your natural crystalline lens did before it developed into a cataract. In many cases, the implant focuses the light BETTER than your natural crystalline lens. The implant also has an ultraviolet filter to protect the retina in the back of the eye from sunlight injury. Some special implants are less restrictive and provide better near vision (Crystalens) or for those with astigmatism, provide sharper distance vision without glasses (Alcon Toric IOL).

The incision self seals and requires no sutures. Topical anesthesia, or drops alone, makes the standard painful injections unnecessary. The entire procedure requires less than 10 minutes and the recovery period is about three weeks.

Cataract surgery, the most successful surgical procedure in all of modern medicine, is highly effective in the safe restoration of vision.

Crystalens

Crystalens is the FIRST and ONLY FDA-approved accommodating intraocular lens used to help correct presbyopia.

• Crystalens® is the only intraocular lens that uses the natural focusing ability of the eye.
• Crystalens® is the only presbyopia correcting lens for cataract patients that provides a single focal point throughout a continuous range of vision.
• Effective Near Vision: Most crystalens patients have reduced their dependence on glasses and are able to read the newspaper or a phone book without glasses.
• Effective Intermediate Vision: Most crystalens patients are able to see their computers, dashboards and anything else at arm’s length without glasses.
• Effective Distance Vision: Most crystalens patients are able to see 20/40 or better after surgery, so the clock across the room or the TV in the corner are clearly within sight.

Superior Results:

More than twice the number of patients implanted with a crystalens could see at all distances compared to a standard IOL. For more information please visit www.crystalens.com.

Co-Management

Since 1984, Commonwealth Eye Surgery has successfully co-managed thousands of cataract surgery patients, coordinating convenient and timely eye care with your local Doctor of Optometry. Same-day evaluation and surgery allows patients to minimize their travel while maintaining a superior standard of care.
The cataract patient’s post-operative visits are scheduled at one day, two weeks and 4 weeks. Most, and sometimes all, of these visits can be provided locally by your local Doctor of Optometry. The co-managing doctor relays all post-operative data in a timely fashion for review by Drs. Ferguson, Findley, and Smith.

Cataract Support Groups

Commonwealth Eye Surgery can provide you access to our cataract support group-patients who have undergone the procedure and are willing to discuss their experience from a patient’s perspective. They are not employees and receive no remuneration for their kind and voluntary efforts to educate patients and dispel any unnecessary concerns.

Cataract Surgery “PLUS”

Our cataract/implant procedure not only is the safest, most effective, and least invasive technique available, but also delivers consistent patient satisfaction. This is due not simply to excellent surgical technique, but also to pre-operative individualized surgical planning based on:

• Multiple A-scans
• Endothelial cell counts
• Pachymetry
• Topography
• IOL calculations
• IOL styles: monofocal, multifocal, silicone, acrylic, toric, UV absorbers, anterior chamber, posterior chamber, Surface modified, Oversized, Piggback, etc.
• Supportive implants: morcher rings
• Bioptics: further refractive enhancements following cataract surgery with the excimer laser technology

These elements enable us to maximize the benefits of cataract surgery for each individual. We plan for safety foremost, but also individualize wound architecture and IOL selection for optimal astigmatic and refractive results. We evaluate pre-existing conditions (pathology, trauma, etc.) and consider the long-term implications of each in developing a surgical strategy for each individual patient. Finally, the ultimate “plus” is the experience of Drs. Ferguson, Findley, and Smith in the successful management of over 33,000 cataract/implant surgeries, which is unparalleled in the Bluegrass.

YAG Capsulotomy

About 30% of cataract patients eventually demonstrate a clouding of the capsule, the back surface of the cataract intentionally retained for support of the implant. If the vision is compromised, the YAG laser can painlessly restore vision in a matter of minutes.