Signs of Cataracts
If you think you may have the signs of cataracts, make an appointment with an experienced cataract specialist at Elmquist Eye Group in Cape Coral or Fort Myers, Florida who will examine your eyes and help you decide if surgery would be beneficial.
Specializing in cataract surgery, eyelid surgery and general ophthalmology, Elmquist Eye Group has provided exceptional eye care to the residents of Southwest Florida for more than 25 years.
Kate Wagner, OD, and Nina Burt, OD, are board certified optometrists. Yasaira Rodriguez, MD is a board certified ophthalmologist and refractive surgeon who specializes in laser-assisted cataract surgery, LASIK and eyelid surgery.
Cataract Symptoms
The most common symptoms of a cataract are:
- Cloudy or blurry vision
- Colors seem faded or yellowed
- Halos and glare from lights
- Poor night vision
- Double vision or multiple images in one eye (which may clear as the cataract gets larger)
- Frequent prescription changes in your eyeglasses or contact lenses
These symptoms also can be a sign of other eye problems. A cataract evaluation at Elmquist Eye Group is very much like a general eye exam, but your eye doctor will dilate your pupils to thoroughly examine your eyes. He or she will also do a few extra tests, such as visual acuity and glare testing, to determine if you have a cataract and its severity.
About Cataract Surgery
In traditional cataract surgery, the natural lens of the eye is replaced with an artificial lens in order to restore your clear vision. Traditional cataract surgery provides excellent results, but technological advances in both lens technology and surgical techniques now afford cataract patients more options.
To achieve the best possible outcomes for cataract patients, Elmquist Eye Group offers refractive laser-assisted cataract surgery. The FDA-approved laser automates several steps of the procedure and improves the precision, accuracy and safety of cataract surgery. The laser and guidance system are used to make tiny incisions in the cornea for removal of the cataract that is clouding your vision. Previously, this was accomplished with a hand-held surgical blade.
Dr. Rodriguez will treat your cataract by surgically removing the cloudy natural lens and replacing it with a clear artificial lens, called an intraocular lens (IOL), which she will place permanently in the eye. Unlike a contact lens, it does not fall out, does not require cleaning, and you will not even notice that it’s there.
Laser cataract surgery takes 5 to 10 minutes. Recovery time is very similar to traditional cataract surgery, and most individuals recover and return to their normal activities very quickly.
If you have the signs of cataracts, cataract surgery can improve your vision to what it was before cataracts and is one of the safest surgeries performed in the U.S. today. Call Elmquist Eye Group at (239) 936-2020 to learn more or to schedule an evaluation.