Cataract Specialist
Approximately 24.5 million people aged 40 and older have cataracts. If you are looking for a cataract specialist to thoroughly check your eyes for cataracts or other vision disorders, we invite you to get in touch with Elmquist Eye Group for a dilated eye examination.
Elmquist Eye Group has served Southwest Florida for over 25 years. E. Trevor Elmquist, DO, who is a board certified ophthalmologist, and his partner, Kate Wagner, OD and associate, Nina Burt, OD, who are both board certified optometrists, provide complete eye care to anyone in your family, from children to seniors, in Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Lee County and beyond.
Dr. Elmquist is a fellow of the American Academy of Ophthalmology who specializes in general ophthalmology and cataract surgery. As further evidence of his expertise in his field, he has also been selected as one of America’s Top Doctors in ophthalmology by Castle Connolly Medical Ltd.
If you find that cataracts are interfering with your normal activities, such as reading the newspaper, working on your computer and driving, or are finding it difficult to enjoy everyday life, it’s time to discuss surgery with Dr. Elmquist.
Modern Cataract Surgery
Cataract surgery has been performed since about the 5th Century BC using a variety of different methods, but has come a long way in just the last 10 years. About three million Americans have cataract surgery each year.
Cataract surgery is a delicate procedure, but is one of the safest surgeries, with a better than 95% success rate. It’s important to understand that complications can occur during or after surgery, some severe enough to limit vision. As with any surgery, a good result cannot be guaranteed.
While traditional cataract surgery provides excellent results, Elmquist Eye Group is now offering bladeless laser-assisted cataract surgery to expand the treatment options for our patients. Developed by Alcon, the FDA-approved LenSx Laser uses the same femtosecond laser technology that is used in bladeless LASIK surgery.
While traditional cataract surgery requires the surgeon to use handheld instruments to make incisions, the laser-guided control provides by this revolutionary procedure can improve the precision, safety and accuracy of cataract surgery. The laser is also capable of softening the lens, which reduces the amount of energy and fluid that is needed to remove the cataract. This typically results in faster recovery times.
Whether you and Dr. Elmquist decide upon traditional cataract surgery or bladeless laser-assisted cataract surgery, today’s modern surgical techniques offer the following advantages:
- No injections: In the past, anesthesia had to be injected into the eye with a needle to numb the area, occasionally damaging the optic nerve or the eye itself. Today, the eye is numbed with anesthetic eye drops. This makes it easier for the eye to recover after surgery and most patients see well almost immediately. It is also helpful for patients who take blood thinners.
- No stitches: The incisions made in cataract surgeries today are extremely small (about 1/8-inch). Most of the time, they are self-healing, which means that no stitches are required. Not only does this provide for a faster recovery, but having no uncomfortable stitches to deal with means that patients can return more quickly to their normal activities.
- Better lenses: There are new, high-tech replacement lens technologies that make it possible for many patients to see well at a distance and up close without having to wear glasses after surgery. These new intraocular lens implants (IOLs) are able to correct not only myopia or hyperopia but also astigmatism. Of course, you and Dr. Elmquist will decide which lens is best for your eyes.
Cataract surgery today provides better visual outcomes than was possible in the past. See your cataract specialist to discuss the options, or get in touch with Elmquist Eye Group at (239) 936-2020 to talk with Dr. Trevor Elmquist. He is a highly qualified cataract surgeon and would be delighted to answer your questions and help you achieve better vision.