Chao Vision Institute - Irvine, CA- Cataracts

Cornea

Board-Certified MD | Personalized Care
Lawrence C. Chao, M.D.

Cataracts | Age-Related Clouding of the Natural Lens

A cataract is a clouding of the natural lens inside your eye. This natural crystalline lens, located behind the iris, works just like the lens of a camera - focusing light images on the retina, which sends images to the brain. A result of the natural aging process, the natural lens can become so clouded, preventing light and images from reaching the retina, making vision cloudy or blurry.

Cataracts can dramatically affect everything you see and do. But they don't have to. With a simple procedure (e.g cataract eye surgery, refractive lens exchange), Dr. Chao can lift the fog and get you back to seeing what you love. Colors can be rich and vibrant, and everything you look at can be in clear focus.

A cataract can be the reason sharp objects become blurred, bright colors become dull, or seeing at night is more difficult. It may be why reading glasses or bifocals that used to help no longer provide clear vision. Vision with cataracts has been described as seeing life through old, cloudy film.

But a cataract is not a "film" over the eye. It is more like a scratched windshield that simply needs to be replaced. A part of the natural aging process (like grey hair and wrinkles), it cannot be prevented. Neither diet nor lasers will make it go away.

The only way to treat a cataract is to remove the old, clouded lens and replace it with a new, artificial one. Seeing clearly after cataract eye surgery or refractive lens exchange has been described as significantly improving lifestyle.

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Cataracts are not painful; but if you experience one or more of these symptoms you should consult a cataract surgeon to get evaluated on how you are seeing today and discuss how you'd like to see the world after cataract surgery.

Blurry or foggy vision, details are hard to see, colors seem dull or muted, glasses are no longer working, sunlight or other light seem overly bright or glaring, more light is needed for reading, or decreased night vision or seeing halos around lights.

Cataract Lens Removal | Give Focus to Clear Vision

Cataract eye surgery is the only way to remove a cataract and restore clear vision. Usually, we schedule cataract eye surgery for one eye at a time to be performed in an outpatient setting. Topical anesthetic eye drops and eye gels are used to numb the eye; injections or shots usually are not needed. An anesthesiologist or anesthetist is always present to provide constant monitoring and additional medications if needed.

In advanced cataract eye surgery, the surgeon makes a very small micro incision (less than 3 mm) in the cornea. The incision is self-sealing and requires no stitch. The clouded cataract lens is safely broken apart and removed by ultrafast ultrasound called phacoemulsification. After the natural lens is removed, the surgeon then replaces the cataract lens with a new artificial lens, an intraocular lens.

Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE) or Natural Lens Exchange

Select patients may chose to lessen or eliminate their dependence on glasses or contact lenses by removing the natural lens prior to cataracts maturing and having a custom lenses placed to obtain distance, intermediate and/or near vision. This is an elective procedure which must be given great consideration with the help of your surgeon.

Intraocular lens (IOLs) Implant Options

All implants are measured for your specific eye and ordered for your surgery. Many considerations are placed into the choice of IOL and this should be an important discussion which should take place between you and your surgeon.

Aside from the basic monofocal or single vision IOL, innovative IOLs commonly referred as custom IOLs are available as a lifestyle option to correct for presbyopia (the need for reading glasses due to age) and astigmatism. Patients choosing to upgrade to a custom IOL can benefit from not only clear vision as a result of cataract eye surgery but fuller range of vision as a result of a custom IOL implant.

Lens Power Calculation

Whether one chooses the basic Medicare-covered or elect to upgrade to a custom intraocular lens, the lens power, or size, must be measured very carefully prior to surgery to allow for the best possible vision. IOL Master measurements as well as A-Scan or immersion readings are used to provide the surgeon with the greatest accuracy possible. Despite the best efforts in lens power calculations, if lens power result is not ideal then corrective lens or further surgical intervention may be needed. In those with previous refractive surgery such as radial keratonomy (RK), PRK, or LASIK, lens power calculations need to be adjusted accordingly.

YAG Capsulotomy

After cataract surgery, your vision should be clearer. Sometimes the capsule that holds the new lens become cloudy. This may happen months or years after cataract surgery. If this occurs, your surgeon can perform a procedure called Yag capsulotomy, using a laser to to make a small opening in the capsule. The YAG capsulotomy procedure requires only an office visit.

Chao Vision Institute specializes in cataract, cornea, LASIK, and refractive vision correction, providing patients with university-level expertise and personalized care. See Dr. Lawrence Chao for a consult or second opinion if you are considering eye surgery, including Crystalens ™, ReStor™, Visian ICL™, and LASIK surgery in Irvine, Orange County, or the Los Angeles , Riverside, and San Diego areas.

Call us at 888.OCEYEMD in our Irvine, Orange County office in the Los Angeles area to make an appointment or get more information.

Are My Cataracts Ripe?

Many people believe that cataracts have to be "ripe" or matured before they can be removed. This is no longer true. Today, cataract eye surgery is a routine procedure that can be performed as soon as your vision interferes with the quality of your life.

If you are considering cataract eye surgery, the next step is to schedule a consult and meet one-on-one with Dr. Chao to be evaluated on how you are seeing today and discuss how you'd like to see the world after cataract surgery.

You'll learn about the different intraocular lens (IOLs) options including Crystalens HD, ReStor, and Toric IOLs that can give you near, intermediate, and distance vision while lessening your dependence on glasses and contacts.

When you email us, please let us know if you'd like to get access to 3D-animated topics including Conditions Overview and Surgical Treatment options.

"Dr. Chao...performed the cataract removal brilliantly.. I can see long distance quite clearly now, and only need glasses to read." - Marjorie E, Irvine, CA.

"I enjoy concerts and theatre more. I can see everything so much more clearly and I'm sure my driving has improved!" - CVI Patient, Newport Coast, CA

"Simply said, the professionalism and the high standards of Dr. Chao and the Chao Institute Staff exceeded my expectations." - Ray P, Retired/ Current Author, Irvine, CA.

"Wonderful - Dr. Chao is so gentle, explains eveyrthing, very kind, and caring. He also has a wonderful staff, ... I can see so much of life I could not see before." - Patricia C, Homemaker.

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