Cataract Surgery

Every year in the U.S., more than three million cataract surgeries are performed. The numbers are growing because Americans are living longer and are more active well into their 70s and 80s. If you have questions about cataract surgery and about the artificial replacement lenses that are used to restore good vision, Elmquist Eye Group is an exceptional source of information.

Dr. Trevor Elmquist, one of America’s Top Doctors in ophthalmology, along with his partner, Kate Wagner, OD, and his associate, Nina Burt, OD, provide complete eye care services at Elmquist Eye Group in Fort Myers and Cape Coral, Florida, for everyone in the family.

Dr. Elmquist is a skilled, board certified ophthalmologist, and Drs. Wagner and Burt are board certified optometrists. With state-of-the-art facilities, we offer a wide variety of services, from routine eye exams for glasses to bladeless laser-assisted cataract surgery, which adds an extra level of precision, safety and accuracy to the cataract procedure.

Facts About Cataracts

• The most common cause of cataracts is aging. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, over 24.5 million Americans aged 40 and older are affected by them.

• Cataracts can also be caused by a traumatic eye injury, by excessive exposure to ultraviolet light, by the use of some medications, such as prednisone and corticosteroids, and by certain diseases, such as diabetes.

• Cataracts can develop in one eye or both eyes. They are not caused by how you use your eyes, and they do not spread from one eye to the other.

• A cataract cannot be removed from the eye’s natural lens. Instead, the lens has to be replaced with an artificial lens, called an intraocular lens or IOL.

• Cataract surgery is one of the safest surgeries performed in the U.S. today, with a better than 95% success rate. Of course, there are risks with any type of surgery, and they should be discussed with your doctor before surgery.

• Most patients who undergo modern cataract surgery notice an improvement in their vision right away, and it will continue improving for several months. Most people are able to resume their normal (non-strenuous) daily activities the day after surgery.

About Artificial Lens Implants (IOLs) 

Treatment of a cataract involves removal of the cloudy natural lens and replacing it with a clear artificial intraocular lens or IOL. When you can no longer do things you enjoy without difficulty, Dr. Elmquist will help you decide if the time is right for cataract surgery and help you choose a lens implant that will be best for your unique eyes.

The lens implant is permanent and, unlike an artificial knee or a heart valve, it cannot wear out over time. Artificial lenses are even placed in babies following congenital cataract surgery because they are made to last a lifetime.

Today, there are several options when it comes to intraocular lenses, including monofocal, multifocal, Toric and ReStor lenses. However, there is no guarantee that you will be able to abandon your eyeglasses forever. Artificial lenses cannot accomplish distance focus in one moment and near focus in the next like a young, healthy eye can do. Depending upon your activity, you may need to wear glasses to enhance your vision further.

For answers to more questions about cataracts and cataract surgery, get in touch with Elmquist Eye Group today at (239) 936-2020 and schedule an appointment. The Elmquist team will be delighted to help.