While vision with cataracts has been described as seeing life through cloudy film, a cataract is not a "film" over the eye, and neither diet nor lasers will make it go away. Rather, a cataract is like a scratched windshield that needs to be replaced. A cataract can be the reason sharp objects become blurred, bright colors become dull, or seeing at night is more difficult. Often, cataracts may be the reason eye glasses no longer provide clear vision.

Cataract Surgery | What is Involved

Cataract eye surgery is the only way to remove a cataract and restore clear vision. The first step is to schedule a Cataract Consult with a cataract eye surgeon to have your eyes examined.

When cataract surgery is recommended, patient instructions are provided. At Chao Vision Institute, Dr. Chao prefers to schedule cataract eye surgery for one eye at a time.  The actual cataract eye surgery is an outpatient procedure performed at an Ambulatory Surgery Center or ASC. All office visits, eye exams and testings are performed at Chao Vision Institute in Irvine, CA.

While only topical anesthetic eye drops and eye gels will be used and injections or shots usually are not needed, an anesthesiologist or anesthetist is always present to provide constant monitoring and additional medications if needed. Applying advanced cataract surgery techniques, the surgeon makes a tiny micro incision (less than 3 mm) in the cornea. Through an ultrafast ultrasound process called phacoemulsification or phaco, the cloudy lens is safely broken into pieces and removed. After the natural lens is removed, the surgeon implants an artificial lens, an intraocular lens, that will do the work of the natural crystalline lens. 

The incision is self-sealing (often requires no stitch) and patients usually spend just a few hours at the ASC returning to Chao Vision Institute the next day for post-operative care.

Lens Power Calculation

Whether one chooses the basic Medicare-covered or upgrades to a custom intraocular lens, the lens power must be measured very carefully prior to surgery.  

At Chao Vision Institute, we offer IOL Master measurements to provide patients with the greatest accuracy possible in lens power calculations.  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. For patients with previous refractive surgery such as radial keratonomy, LASIK or PRK, your lens power calculations will be adjusted accordingly.

Risk and Benefits

Millions of people every year undergo cataract surgery, one of the safest procedures. After cataract surgery and intraocular lens implantation, objects you couldn't see clearly can be bright, clear, and vivid again. For many people, they haven't seen life so clearly in years. 

As with any surgical procedure, there are risks. You and your eye doctor should consider the potential risk and benefits, and determine if cataract surgery with intraocular lens (IOL) implantation is right for you. If you are considering eye surgery including cataracts removal, please call us at 949.679.2426 to make an appointment to have Dr. Chao examine your eyes. 

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