If you are a good candidate for cataract surgery, it is likely you are a candidate for today’s advanced vision-correcting intraocular lens technology. Your optometrist and/or ophthalmologist should perform a comprehensive eye exam to check the overall health of your eyes, evaluate whether there are reasons why you should not have surgery and identify any risk factors you might have.
As part of your comprehensive eye exam, a refraction will be performed to determine the amount of nearsightedness, farsightedness, and/or astigmatism you have prior to surgery. Other measurements will be taken to help your cataract surgeon select the proper power of the intraocular lens (IOLs) and give you the best vision possible after surgery.
Be aware that not everyone is a good candidate for vision correcting IOLs, and choosing some IOL technologies will increase the out-of-pocket cost of your cataract surgery, since the added cost of these advanced lens implants may not be covered by Medicare or other insurance plans. It is important to discuss your options with your surgeon.
Is Cataract Surgery with Vision-Correcting IOLs Safe?
Cataract surgery is a very safe procedure, with 98 percent being performed without serious complications. In fact, a recent study of more than 200,000 Medicare beneficiaries who underwent cataract surgery between 1994 and 2006 found that 99.5 percent of patients had no severe postoperative complications. Advances in surgical tools and techniques are helping to further reduce the already rare risk of serious complications from cataract surgery. All cataract surgeries involve the implantation of an artificial lens – called an intraocular lens or IOL. Therefore, cataract surgery with vision-correcting intraocular lens technology carries a similarly low-risk profile of all cataract surgery. That said, all surgery comes with a degree of risk – even an exceedingly small one – and you and your eye surgeon should discuss your procedure in detail so you can make the best decision for you and your vision.
While complications after cataract surgery are uncommon, the good news is that most can be treated successfully. Your personal medical history and eye health may contribute significantly to your risk of complications from cataract surgery.
A potential complication of cataract surgery with vision correcting IOLs is residual halos, glare, and blurry vision specifically from the placement of the lens or the lens itself. It is important to discuss all your medical history and, specifically, any eye problems you may have before making the decision to have cataract surgery.
Griffin Eye Center, Ophthalmic Surgeon, Neil B. Griffin, M.D., is a cataract, cornea, and LASIK specialist. He is committed to providing world class surgical technology and the most advanced vision diagnostics to the North and South Carolina areas. Patient care and education is our practice number one priority.
Dr. Neil Griffin has many firsts in the Myrtle Beach area such as implanting the newest Intra-Ocular Lenses (IOL) for advanced cataract surgery. Since Dr. Griffin has experience with the latest advanced technology lenses, he can offer more options to his patients.
Dr. Griffin is one of the first in the US to offer the Zepto® microsurgical technology for advanced cataract procedures, he is one of the first in the region to offer the RXSight® Light Adjustable lens which is customized vision after your cataract surgery and is also the first in South Carolina to offer the latest advancement in laser vision technology with the combination of both the Wavelight® EX500 and the VisuMax® laser. We are locally owned, operated and the only center in the local region to provide a state-of-the-art on-site LASIK suite.
Dr. Griffin served in the Armed Forces of the United States of America as a US Navy Flight Surgeon. He is board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and Fellowship trained. The National Consumer Advisory Board named Dr. Neil B. Griffin one of America’s Best Physicians and has won over twenty-six multiple distinction awards.
To learn more about cataract procedures or LASIK surgery visit griffineyecenter.com or call (843) 449-6414.