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Cataracts

Cataract Surgery in Reno and Minden, Nevada

Causes of Cataracts

There are many causes of cataracts, including congenital (acquired at birth), trauma, drug toxicity and diseases such as diabetes. However, the most common types of cataracts are age-related. This natural aging process causes the lens of the eye to become cloudy and thus impairs vision. As this process progresses, glasses and contact lenses will no longer provide the clarity of vision that patients are accustomed to.

Common Cataract Symptoms

Blurred distance vision which is especially noticeable at night or when watching TV.
Difficulty reading, especially small print and in poor lighting conditions.
Sensitivity to glare which can cause difficulty driving into the sun, driving at night with oncoming headlights or seeing the golfball against a bright sky. These changes can occur in absense of other visual changes.
Night blindness due to less light getting through the lens.
Loss of depth perception causing the patient to bump into objects while walking or driving.
Loss of color vision causing objects to be washed out or have a yellow hue.

Recent Advances in Cataract Surgery — Refractive Cataract Surgery

In the past, the goal of cataract surgery was simply to remove the cloudy lens and replace it with a lens implant. Most patients had to wear glasses for both distance and near work. With recent technological advances, cataract surgery has become much more sophisticated and approaches the precision of laser refractive surgery. In this new era of “cataract refractive surgery,” Center For Advanced Eye Care has adopted these exciting new technologies to reduce or eliminate patients’ dependence on glasses and contact lenses:

ORA — Taking Precision to a Whole New Level

The Optiwave Refractive Analysis (ORA) System is specifically designed for accurate measurements of the eye during the course of cataract surgery, assisting the surgeon in choosing the best possible intraocular lens implant (IOL) and thus optimizing the final refractive outcome. The surgeon typically performs measurements of the eye before surgery to decide on the power of the IOL, but repeating the measurement with the ORA during surgery.

LenSx — Laser-Assisted Cataract Surgery

While surgeons have achieved good results with regular manual cataract surgery, nothing can approach the precision of lasers. The LenSx system performs some of the earlier steps of the surgery, greatly facilitating the subsequent removal of the cataract.

The advantages include more accurate reduction of mild astigmatism, more stability and predictability of refractive outcomes, and more gentle on tissues during surgery.

Premium Intraocular Lenses (IOLs)

From toric lenses that reduce or eliminate moderate to high degrees of astigmatism to multifocal lenses that allow you to see both far away and near, new IOL technology can significantly improve the quality of life.

While not for everybody, premium IOLs are designed for the cataract patient who desires to be less dependent on glasses after surgery. Contact us to determine if you are a candidate.

With combined 40 years of experience and over 20,000 surgeries, the cataract surgeons at Center for Advanced Eye Care can work with you to determine if you might be a candidate for “refractive cataract surgery” with one or more of these exciting new technologies.

Secondary Cataracts

One of the most common questions we get from patients after cataract surgery is: “Can cataracts grow back?”

No, cataracts do not grow back after surgery. Patients can, however, experience blurriness due to secondary cataract formation when the natural lens capsule left behind becomes cloudy and impedes vision. This is treated with a very simple laser procedure called YAG capsulotomy, which creates a hole in the capsule which allows light to pass through unobstructed once again.

The procedure takes less than a minute to perform, and patients are typically seeing better the same day.