Laser Cataract Surgery Increases Accuracy
Laser cataract surgery is rapidly becoming a very popular choice for patients who are seeking the most accurate and safest form of cataract surgery. It offers many advantages over standard cataract surgery, including the ability to fix astigmatism. Laser makes the accuracy of the incisions greater as well, and softens the cataract. Cataract patients in the Detroit area should look into which surgeons offer this form of cataract surgery. Laser cataract surgery increases accuracy and safety of surgery.
What is a cataract?
There are misconceptions about cataracts; they are not a 'skin' over the eyeball, nor are they a disease that can be passed from patient to patient. And surgeons no longer wait until cataracts are 'ripe' to perform surgery.
At their most basic, cataracts are cloudiness in the natural lens of the eye, which is located inside the eye. The lens of the eye is not visible to people who are looking at you, and so cataracts can rarely be seen. People realize that they have cataracts when they cannot see well, in spite of having glasses that are updated.
Cataracts may consist of hardening and changes in the color of the lens of the eye. They can also be cloudy spots or spokes in the case of cortical cataracts. PSC cataracts look like salt or sugar crystals on the back of the lens.
What symptoms do cataracts cause?
Patients will often complain that they need more light to see, or that they can't see at night. Glare may become an issue with night driving, as well as a general loss of sharpness of vision. One eye can be worse than the other, because cataracts may not progress in the same way in different eyes. Some people complain that their color vision is affected, and artists may notice that they are preferring brighter colors in their pieces. In fact, it is thought that many of the painters from the Impressionist era had cataracts, based on the changes in their color use in their later works.
When should surgery be done?
Surgeons no longer wait until cataracts are 'ripe' to offer surgery to their patients. These days, when a patient is having difficulty performing their Activities of Daily Living (ADL's), it is worth considering surgery. For some patients, their vision may actually be pretty sharp, but the glare symptoms are so bad that they cannot drive at night. A goal of having a patient regain their ability to perform their ADL's is reasonable.
What does Laser Cataract Surgery provide?
The Femto laser can correct astigmatism to help patients see better without glasses after surgery. In addition, the laser can soften the cataract, so that removal is easier and less traumatic on the eye. It can also create the openings in the eye and in the lens of the eye, creating perfect incisions in exactly the spot that is required. The laser portion of surgery is not covered by insurance, but is worth the cost!
