Cataract Surgery in Denver, CO
Understanding Cataracts
Cataract surgery is a common procedure for those over the age of 60. The term “cataract” simply refers to a human lens that is partly or completely cloudy. It is such a common problem that there are more than three million operations for cataract removal in the United States each year. At Colorado Eye Surgeons, we have extensive experience in cataract removal. Additionally, Dr. Pennington specializes in lens removal before cataracts formation. This both allows for vision without glasses and prevents future cataract formation.
How do you know whether you need cataract surgery?
It all depends on your symptoms. Surgery is usually performed when the patient is no longer satisfied with his/her vision. The cause for the dissatisfaction can be blurry vision, difficulty reading, problems with glare or seeing street signs, poor night vision, difficulty seeing traffic signals, or trouble judging distances when driving.
What happens during cataract surgery?
During cataract surgery, the entire lens (with the exception of the lens capsule) is removed. Of course, removal of the cloudy lens creates the need for a replacement lens. This replacement is called an intraocular lens implant. During intraocular lens implementation, the cataract is removed and an artificial lens is placed within the eye. Implants are made of a soft foldable material. These types of lenses provide excellent vision. The decision as to which implant is the best for an individual patient is determined by rather complex factors such as the strength of the implant required and the amount of astigmatism present.
During his training, Dr. Pennington was one of the first resident physicians to become certified on a new method of cataract surgery known as laser assisted cataract surgery. He has continued to use this technology routinely in Colorado. Laser-assisted cataract surgery is an alternative to traditional cataract surgery in which the procedure is performed by hand. In some cases, laser-assisted cataract surgery is the best option because of the laser’s ability to rapidly create ultra-precise, tiny incisions. More information on laser-assisted cataract surgery can be found below.
Understanding Lens Implants
There are many types of cataract lens implants, or intraocular lens implants (IOL) that we can use in order to provide you with the best results to match your lifestyle and activities after cataract surgery. These different types of lens implants include monofocal lens implants which are the most basic type of lens implant and only correct for one focal distance; toric lens implants for those patients with astigmatism; and near vision presbyopia correcting lens implants lens that will correct for distance, intermediate and near vision allow a patient to live a glasses free life.
Laser-assisted cataract surgery
Should you consider laser cataract surgery?
Its greatest value is for the many patients with complex cataracts. Additionally, the femto-second laser (FSL) can simultaneously create small incisions in the cornea that reduce preexisting astigmatism, which permits patients to achieve better vision with less dependence on glasses. Amazingly enough, the FSL can do all of these things painlessly and in approximately one minute!
At Colorado Eye Surgeons, patients receiving FSL treatment undergo the brief laser procedure, with completion of the cataract removal process and insertion of the intraocular lens implant shortly thereafter. Patients are then able to return home, and resume most activities immediately.
Cataract Surgery Recovery
If you’re considering cataract surgery but are worried about the procedure or the length of recovery, you can rest assured. After cataract surgery, our patients recover quickly and report little pain. In fact, many don’t even find that they need any rest period following surgery.
Dr. Pennington has developed advanced instrumentation and methods that have greatly increased the safety and decreased the pain of cataract surgery. With these types of advanced instrumentation and methods, the vast majority of our patients are able to have their cataracts removed in a brief and painless operation, requiring no stitches. Healing is extremely rapid, and patients are able to return to normal activity immediately. Most patients have improved vision within 10 minutes after surgery.
Do I still need glasses after cataract surgery?
It all depends…
The human lens loses its ability to focus or change shape as we get older. Similarly, an artificial lens implant has no ability to change shape. Therefore, some implants provide clear vision only at a distance. For this reason, normal types of eyeglasses are often worn after surgery in order to correct astigmatism or to improve vision for reading or driving. However, even with these implants, vision without glasses is often better than it was with glasses before surgery.
That being said, at Colorado Eye Surgeons we often use special implants to allow for a glasses free life after cataract surgery. These lenses are not right for every patient, but over 98% of patients are happy with the special implants. Schedule an appointment today with Dr. Pennington to learn more about your options.
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