If you are like most people, when you hear the word surgery, you immediately cringe. And eye surgery…well, that’s a whole ‘nother level of cringing. But we are here to help alleviate some of those fears when it comes to Cataract Surgery. You see, cataract surgery is the most frequently performed operation in the United States. And with a 98% success rate, it is also has the highest success rate of any surgery practiced today. Of course, you don’t have to just take our word for it.
The WHY of Cataract Surgery
The National Eye Institute predicts that, by the year 2050, 50.2 million Americans will experience cataracts.
As we age, our eyes undergo normal aging. Proteins begin to build up in the lens, forming protein clumps, which can obscure normal vision. These clumps, or deposits, prevent light from passing clearly through the lens, causing images to appear cloudy or blurry, especially at night. But don’t worry; this is just a normal part of the aging process. By age 80 more than half of all Americans will either have a cataract or have undergone cataract treatment.
“We should all be so lucky to develop cataracts in our lifetime, as this would mean we have lived a long and healthy life,” explains board certified ophthalmologist Dr. Samuel Boles, Medical Director of the Anne Arundel Eye Center in Annapolis, Maryland.
If a cataract begins to affect your quality of life, inhibiting you from performing normal daily tasks, such as driving, reading, or watching TV, cataract surgery is usually your best treatment option. Cataracts can also make it difficult for your eye doctor to examine the back of the eye to detect conditions such as age-related macular degeneration or diabetic retinopathy.
The WHAT of Cataract Surgery
In it’s simplest form, cataract surgery involves removing the cloudy lens and replacing it with a crystal clear lens implant, called an intraocular lens (IOL). Under local anesthesia, a small incision is made on in the edge of the cornea and high frequency ultrasound vibrations gently dissolve the natural lens into small pieces. These fragments are removed and replaced with the IOL. The thin, posterior layers of the lens, called the lens capsule, is left behind.
Today, more than a million IOLs are implanted every year in the United States alone. This new plastic intraocular lens is designed to properly focus and function just like your eye’s natural lens, and requires no special maintenance. The IOLs used may be monofocal, fixed-focus, accommodating or multifocal lenses. Your eye doctor will determine which is best for you.
Cataract surgery can be done the traditional way, by hand, or with the assistance of laser technology, such as the LenSx® Laser. Either way, cataract surgery is a painless outpatient procedure, and most patients can resume their normal, everyday function in very little time and can even begin driving a few days after surgery.
To find out if you are ready for cataract surgery, schedule an appointment with your eye doctor – optometrist or ophthalmologist.
A Regional Leader in Cataract Treatment
Led by board certified ophthalmologist Dr. Samuel Boles the Anne Arundel Eye Center (AAEC) is a regional leader in the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma and cataracts. Dr. Boles utilizes the LenSx® Laser, the most technologically advanced option for cataract patients today, to create a cataract surgery that’s 100% unique to each patient.
“The LenSx Laser offers significant improvement of precision, safety, and accuracy for even better results and I recommend this as an option for all of my patients,” says Dr. Boles.
The LenSx® Laser was the first femtosecond laser system to receive FDA approvals for use in cataract surgery. It captures precise, hi-res images of your eye, allowing your eye doctor to map a cataract surgery that’s 100% unique to you. The computer-controlled femtosecond laser then helps your doctor perform the surgery with exacting precision not attainable through traditional surgery.
Schedule a Comprehensive Eye Exam
If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Samuel Boles, Dr. Nicole Kershner, Dr. Kathryn Turner, and the eye care specialists here at AAEC by calling 410-224-2010. AAEC is staffed by caring and knowledgeable professionals who will help guide you on your healing journey.