Cataract Surgery & Treatment Options
Bring the World Back into Focus.
Cataracts are typically an age-related condition where the natural lens becomes clouded over time. This condition can be corrected with cataract surgery, a very common and safe procedure. Cataract surgery involves the removal of the cloudy natural lens and placement of a clear lens implant.
There are many types of IOLs (intraocular lens) available. Dr. Bennett will help you determine which is the best for you.
Symptoms
Common symptoms include blurred vision, difficulty driving at night, sensitivity to light, and reduced color perception.
Astigmatism
Astigmatism is a common eye condition where the cornea is irregularly shaped. Instead of being basketball shaped, astigmatism causes the cornea to be shaped more like a football. This causes blurring of vision.
This condition can be corrected during cataract surgery with a specialty lens (Toric) or with a procedure called LRIs (limbal relaxing incisions). The Toric lens will correct astigmatism inside the eye (this lens replaces the standard lens that is typically placed during cataract surgery). LRIs are small incisions on the cornea to help flatten it out to make it more spherical.
Both options are considered an upgrade to standard cataract surgery and are not covered by insurance.
IOLs
Standard Lenses
Standard cataract surgery uses a lens that is monofocal, and the outcome is usually set for distance vision for be best, with over-the-counter readers possibly being needed for near vision.
Multifocal Lenses
With a multifocal lens, you can have the ability to see at a distance and at near, giving you a full range of vision. This lens is considered an upgrade to standard cataract surgery and is not covered by insurance. Some multifocal options are PanOptix and Vivity lenses.
Light Adjustable Lenses
The LAL (light adjustable lens) is the only adjustable IOL (intraocular lens) available that allows optimization of your vision after lens implantation and healing. This FDA-approved lens offers the unique opportunity to adjust and preview your vision based on your personal desires and lifestyle requirements. This optimization is done by Dr. Bennett after surgery through a series of light treatment procedures that take only a few minutes each. This is considered an upgrade to standard cataract surgery and is not covered by insurance.
