Cataract Surgery

Cataract is clouding of the natural lens of the eye. The most important factor in cataract formation is increasing age, but there are additional factors, including smoking, diabetes, and excessive exposure to sunlight. Cataracts can also be present at birth or be caused by injury to the eye.

More than 20 million Americans over the age of 40 have cataracts, and it is the most common cause of preventable blindness in the world.

• Blurred or hazy vision where colors may seem yellowed
• A tendency to become more nearsighted
• A gradual loss of color vision

• The feeling of having a film over the eyes
• An increased sensitivity to glare, especially at night

Having a cataract does not necessarily mean that you need surgery. A cataract needs to be removed only when vision loss interferes with your everyday activities, such as driving, reading, or watching TV. The decision to have cataract surgery is one that you and your doctor should make together.

We perform a minimally invasive, no-stitch cataract surgery. The patient is given anesthesia to numb the eye. A tiny incision (2.75 mm or less) is made into the eye and a small ultrasonic probe is inserted. This probe breaks the cloudy lens into tiny pieces and gently removes those pieces out of the eye.

Cataract surgery is a common outpatient procedure and one of the safest and most successful surgical procedures performed today. During cataract surgery, the cloudy natural lens is removed and replaced with a clear synthetic lens called an IOL (intraocular lens) to restore vision. Until recently, the only option was a fixed-focus lens, typically designed for correcting distance vision, which left the patient needing reading glasses to see up close. New multifocal lenses are now available that allow cataract patients to see not only far away, but also at near and computer distances without wearing glasses. Since the multifocal lenses are relatively new, not all cataract surgeons are trained to implant them.

Multifocal IOLs

In the past, cataract implants were only able to correct distance vision, often leaving patients with the need for reading glasses. Multifocal IOLs offer patients freedom from glasses after cataract surgery by improving vision at all distances and at any time of day. Up to 80 percent of patients do not need to rely on glasses with multifocal IOLs.

Toric IOLs

Toric IOLs are specifically designed for patients with astigmatism. In the past, patients with astigmatism would need eyeglasses or contact lenses even after cataract surgery as the basic lens implants did not correct for astigmatic refractive error. Toric IOLs, such as AcrySof Toric ®, corrects cataracts and astigmatism with just one lens and provides a more convenient and affordable solution.

Clareon Vivity is an EDOF IOL (Extended Depth of Focus intraocular lens), the first and only non-diffractive presbyopia-mitigating IOL with exceptional clarity. It is designed to provide a continuous range of vision from near to intermediate with functional near vision, reducing the need for glasses or contact lenses after cataract surgery. It enables the individual to see things more clearly from a distance, such as when typing on a computer. It is also effective for enhancing viewing of close-up activities such as reading or shaving.

Vivity IOLs provide a single point of focus. The wavefront-shaping lens allows light into the eye through this focal point. It focuses the light on the back of the eye more accurately, creating sharper images across multiple focusing distances.

It is a good option for individuals who:

1. Want to reduce their dependence on glasses or contacts
2. Have realistic expectations about completely eliminating the need for glasses or contacts
3. Are amenable to paying some of the cost out-of-pocket since the advanced lenses are more expensive than standard monofocal intraocular lenses.

In a clinical study, 106 patients were asked about their experience with the Vivity Lens:

• Over 90% reported they were satisfied with their near vision
• 94% of patients reported rarely or never needing eyeglasses or contacts at a distance.

Clareon Vivity is an EDOF IOL (Extended Depth of Focus intraocular lens), the first and only non-diffractive presbyopia-mitigating IOL with exceptional clarity. It is designed to provide a continuous range of vision from near to intermediate with functional near vision, reducing the need for glasses or contact lenses after cataract surgery. It enables the individual to see things more clearly from a distance, such as when typing on a computer. It is also effective for enhancing viewing of close-up activities such as reading or shaving.

Vivity IOLs provide a single point of focus. The wavefront-shaping lens allows light into the eye through this focal point. It focuses the light on the back of the eye more accurately, creating sharper images across multiple focusing distances.

It is a good option for individuals who:

1. Want to reduce their dependence on glasses or contacts
2. Have realistic expectations about completely eliminating the need for glasses or contacts
3. Are amenable to paying some of the cost out-of-pocket since the advanced lenses are more expensive than standard monofocal intraocular lenses.

In a clinical study, 106 patients were asked about their experience with the Vivity Lens:

• Over 90% reported they were satisfied with their near vision
• 94% of patients reported rarely or never needing eyeglasses or contacts at a distance.

_{Figure 1: Presbyopia-Correcting Lenses (Alcon 2023)}

_{Figure 2: Monofocal Lens (Alcon 2023)}

_{Figure 3: Clareon IOL Daytime Comparison (Alcon 2023)}

_{Figure 4: Clareon IOL Nighttime Comparison (Alcon 2023)}

Bring proven precision and safety to every cataract procedure with the LenSx® Laser, featuring ASCEND™ Technology — the market leading femtosecond platform.

The ORA SYSTEM is the first and only database for real-time IOL calculations and in-procedure adjustments during surgery.