Marc A. Goldberg MD, Ophthalmologist
Corneal and Refractive Surgery - Advanced Cataract Surgery
Infectious & Immune Diseases of the Eye - General Ophthalmology
918.584.4433
Home | Corneal Transplant Surgery | Cataracts | Laser/Refractive | About Dr Goldberg
Cataract Surgery |
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| What is a cataract? Symptoms Diagnosis Treatment When to Have Cataract Surgery About Cataract Surgery After Cataract Surgery |
What is a cataract?A cataract is a clouding or opacity of the crystalline lens, or focusing element of the eye. This natural lens is situated just behind the pupil. With the help of the cornea, it focuses the light rays on the retina. Technically speaking, any opacity of the lens is a cataract, but generally we only use the term when the clouding is sufficient to significantly reduce vision. Cataracts were named by the ancient Greeks. The white appearance of far advanced cataracts reminded them of the white waters or rapids and waterfalls which are also called cataracts. Today, however, only far advanced and neglected cataracts ever reach the stage of being white.top of pageSymptomsCataracts cause blurring and dimming of vision. They disperse light and cause glare, especially when out in the sun and around lights at night. Some people complain of a film over their eyes or glasses and try in vain to blink or rub it away.As the natural lens becomes more cloudy it often swells causing a change in the optics which sometimes induces a condition of nearsightedness, which makes it possible to read without glasses. Patients with this "second sight," however, find that their distance vision becomes more blurred as the cataract progresses and eventually both distant and near vision become blurred. top of pageDiagnosisIn order to determine that a cataract is the cause of a patient's blurred vision, a complete eye examination is required. This exam includes evaluation of the front part of the eye, including the lens, with a bio microscope (often called a slit lamp) and evaluation of the back part of the eye with an ophthalmoscope.top of pageWhen to Have Cataract SurgeryOnce a cataract starts to form, visual impairment tends to be progressive. Certain types of congenital cataracts may remain stable and are the exception to this rule. There are many types of cataracts and we can tell you if your type is likely to progress slowly or rapidly.top of pageTreatmentWhen cataracts are in the early stages of development, changing the power of the patient's glasses will often improve vision. Once a cataract progresses to the point where changing the glasses does not help, the only method of restoring the lost vision is by surgical removal of the cataract.If your eye is otherwise healthy, modern cataract surgery can lead to improved vision in more than 95% of cases. Although no surgery is completely risk-free, cataract surgery is one of the safest and most commonly performed surgical procedures available today. top of pageAbout Cataract SurgeryDr. Goldberg performs advanced "no stitch" Cataract Surgery as an outpatient procedure.Dr. Goldberg utilizes the advanced ultrasonic technique termed phakoemulsification to remove cataracts.At the beginning of this procedure, a small incision is made at the edge of the cornea and a small ultrasonic suction probe is introduced into the front of the eye through this small incision. A probe is used to emulsify (liquefy) and evacuate the lens, then a clear lens implant (synonyms:IOL/intra ocular lens/intra ocular implant) is folded and inserted through the small incision to replace the removed lens. The power of the implant is chosen pre-operatively to give the best possible post-operative vision. Stitches are usually not required.The visual results are excellent with this technique and visual recovery is much faster than with older cataract surgery techniques. Most patients can return to work shortly after surgery and full activity including lifting, bending, and straining can generally be resumed within 2 weeks after surgery. Over 95% of patients who undergo cataract surgery have significant improvement in vision with most patients achieving 20/20 vision post-operatively. Patients usually describe minimal to no post-operative pain which most often responds to simple Tylenol when necessary. As with any surgery, there are potential risks and complications associated with cataract removal (i.e., infections, bleeding), but these complications are quite uncommon. Dr. Goldberg of course discusses the risks, and potential complications with all of his patients, and answers any of their questions prior to proceeding with surgery. top of pageAfter Cataract SurgeryIt usually takes several weeks for the eye to heal completely, although good vision is usually obtained shortly after surgery. During the recovery period, patients are usually seen for follow-up at one day, one week, three to four weeks, and three months postoperatively. Antibiotic and anti-inflammatory drops are taken four times per day over the first week postoperatively and tapered off over the next several days. Most patients are able to return to office work in a few days and to manual labor after one to two weeks.top of page |