Cataract Surgery

Cataracts will affect most of us. Most patients experiencing symptoms of cataracts are over the age of 60, but can also affect patients at much younger ages.  Cataract surgery is one of the most successful and safest surgeries performed in the world.

According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, more than half of all Americans will develop cataracts by age 80. A cataract is a clouding of the lens in the eye, which can cause one’s vision to become blurry. They are common with age and can occur in one or both eyes.  The clouding usually occurs slowly, but can happen quickly, especially after trauma to the eye.  While cataracts are not painful, they do cause many symptoms such as blurry vision, fewer details, glare while driving or reading, dull colors, changes in your glasses prescription and double vision in one eye.

New advances and techniques have made cataract surgery one of the most successful and life-improving surgical procedures performed. We offer the latest procedures available to help remove cataracts and restore your vision, including the placement of Intraocular Lenses. Most cataract surgeries are performed on an outpatient basis and more than 95 percent of surgeries improve vision.

Symptoms of Cataracts

Cataract symptoms vary from patient to patient, but can include:

• Blurry vision
• Difficulty reading, especially in dim light
• Halos
• Glare
• Poor night vision
• Poor color perception
• Increasing nearsightedness

Our Doctors

Our doctors have extensive training in cataract removal, and they continuously strive to provide cataract patients with the safest, most pain-free recovery of vision possible. New advances and techniques have made cataract surgery one of the most successful and life-improving surgical procedures performed. We offer the latest procedures available to help remove cataracts and restore your vision, including the placement of intraocular lenses (IOLs). Most cataract surgeries are performed on an outpatient basis, and more than 95 percent of surgeries improve vision.

Our doctors are board certified ophthalmologists and have been practicing in the Chicago area for almost 20 years specializing in eye surgery.  The team have successfully restored the vision in 10s of thousands of patients with cataract. Using the latest surgical techniques, including premium intraocular lens (IOLs), most cataract surgery will be performed in an out-patient setting. During your initial consultation, you undergo a thorough eye examination. Our doctors and staff will insure that all your questions are answered and your expectations are exceeded.

Intraocular Lens (IOL)

Cataract surgery usually involves removal of the natural cloudy lens and replacing it with a clear intraocular lens (IOL).  Careful measurements are taken during your pre-surgical evaluation to allow precise calculation of the power of the implant necessary to improve your vision and meet your visual expectations.

During IOL surgery, the eye’s natural lens is removed and replaced with an intraocular lens. Since being approved by the FDA in 1981, IOLs have offered an effective alternative for cataract patients. By exchanging the cataract with a clear implant, most patients notice signifcant improvement quickly. Prior to the use of IOLs, cataract patients had to wear very thick eyeglasses or special contact lenses in order to see after the natural lenses were removed during surgery.

Surgery is almost always performed in an outpatient setting and with only topical numbing drops necessary for anesthesia.

“No Stitch” and Premium IOLs

“No Stitch” or cataract surgery without stitches allows faster and more comfortable healing.  In addition, your vision returns more quickly than other methods of cataract surgery.

“No-stitch” cataract surgery is the most advanced surgical treatment for cataracts available anywhere. This state-of-the-art procedure allows for a less invasive operation while maintaining the highest standards of surgical care. The actual procedure usually takes between four to seven minutes, and only drops are used to numb the eye during surgery. The technique was a breakthrough in the treatment of cataracts, because the procedure is performed through a very small corneal incision that is self-sealing. Since the incision area is so small, patients heal quicker and resume normal activities much faster than ever before.

Premium IOLs may be an option for some of our patients who want to be able to improve distance vision AND read without the nuisance of glasses.  Several premium IOLs are available and our doctors will be sure to explore these options with you.