Cataracts eventually happen to nearly everyone. As we age, cataracts gradually form. In fact, by age 65, about 90 percent of Americans will develop a cataract. If you’re one of them, your cataract will progress to the point that you will eventually need corrective surgery. When that time comes, our Elmquist Eye Group surgeons near Pine Island, Florida are ready to be your cataract surgeons.
Tell me more about cataract surgery
Cataracts are caused by a protein buildup on the lens of the eye. These proteins break down as a natural part of aging and eventually interfere with vision enough to be corrected. If you have cataracts, our expert and experienced surgeons will perform an outpatient procedure that involves removing the clouded lens and replacing it with an artificial lens.
The surgery is very safe and effective. Most of our patients say that it is so much easier than they anticipated, and many wish they had done it so much sooner. Our patients feel that their vision has truly been transformed. Patients are safer because they can see more clearly, thus avoiding fall risk or difficulty driving. Many patients can’t believe the sharpness of their corrected vision and the restored brightness of colors, so they are much happier after the surgery.
Our surgeons can even implant a lens to correct your vision. Many of our patients no longer have to wear eyeglasses.
The Elmquist team
Cataract surgery is an outpatient surgery. We operate on one eye at a time. If you have cataracts in both eyes, we will operate on the other eye when the first eye is fully healed. The operation on one eye takes less than an hour. In fact, cataract surgery is one of the most successful surgeries performed today.
We use laser techniques where we use one type of laser to create an incision in the cornea, and another type of laser to break up the cataract which is then removed from the eye prior to the new artificial lens (an intraocular lens) being implanted.
On your surgery day, we ask that you arrive about an hour before your procedure time. Someone should drive you to the appointment. We use sedation to help you relax, and use numbing drops in your eye. The laser allows a small precise incision that does not need stitches. The incision heals by itself very quickly.
After the surgery, you’ll stay with us about an hour while we monitor your recovery, then your family member or friend can drive you home where you can relax for the rest of the day. The day after the surgery, our team will want you to come in for a visit to check progress. Most people return to normal non-strenuous activity in a couple of days, and can return to workouts and lifting in a couple of weeks. The surgeon will do a final healing check a few weeks after surgery.
Cataract surgery is safe and effective, and our surgeons are the best cataract surgeons near Pine Island, Florida, so schedule an appointment at the Elmquist Eye Group today for your surgical consultation.