Technology has improved the safety and outcomes of cataract surgery

You have started to notice increasing glare at night. You have trouble reading small print in poor light and reading signs while driving. You find yourself avoiding hobbies such as knitting or card games because of blurred vision. It’s time to see your eye doctor. These could be early symptoms of cataracts.

What exactly is a cataract? A cataract is a clouding of the eye’s natural lens, which gradually loses its normal transparency with age. At first the effect is to scatter light, causing glare from sunlight and headlights. As the cloudiness of the lens increases, so does the blurriness.

Initially, strengthening eyeglasses may help. Once symptoms interfere with activities of daily living, your cataracts should be removed. To date, no medication or eye drop has been proven to prevent or reverse cataract formation. The only treatment for a cataract is surgical removal of the natural lens, replacing it with an artificial lens implant.

But, never fear! Cataract surgery is not like it used to be. Some of us still can recall the way cataract eye surgery was done in our parents’ and grandparents’ day: the hospital stay, the sandbagging and the lengthy recovery time… and don’t forget the “Coke bottle” glasses they had to wear for the rest of their lives.

Surgeons from WK Eyes--David D. Bryan, MD, Wyche T. Coleman III, MD, and Christopher L. Shelby, MD– have seen cataract surgery advance tremendously in the past 20 years. “Artificial lens implants have improved greatly. So have the surgical techniques we use to remove the cataract,” says Dr. Shelby. In 2012, Shelby became the first surgeon in Louisiana to be certified to perform laser cataract surgery using the LenSx Femtosecond Laser. “Today, with technologies such as the bladeless LenSx laser, we can safely remove the lens at any stage of development,” Dr. Shelby asserts.

“With most patients, it is better to remove the cataract sooner rather than later.”

Aging baby boomers are working longer, they want to be more active, and they have more demands on their vision, according to a U.S. National Institutes of Health-funded study. “That’s why they’re looking for surgery sooner – often in their 50s – so that they can remain independent, active and continue to work,” Dr. Shelby says.

With the advent of this new laser technology, WK surgeons are able to meet their most demanding patients’ expectations. “Patients who have had a Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK) or Lasik surgical procedure to correct myopia (nearsightedness) have enjoyed years of freedom from glasses and contact lenses,” Dr. Shelby explains. “Now in their 60s and 70s, some of these patients are returning with cataracts. Through laser-assisted cataract surgery, along with premium lens implants, we can offer these patients excellent outcomes – and for most, keep their sight unaided by glasses. It’s like Lasik results all over again!”

Cataract correction is now convenient, safe, and comfortable. To learn more about cataract surgery, visit the excellent online resource, wkeyes.com. To find an eye surgeon, call Health+Match at (318) 212-9562 or go to wkhs.com, and click on “Find a Doctor.”