Vision After Cataract Surgery
Most patients who undergo cataract surgery notice an improvement in their vision right away and are amazed by the clarity and the brightness of colors. At Elmquist Eye Group, we can help you choose an intraocular lens implant that fits your lifestyle and delivers a high level of glasses-free vision.
About Cataracts
The lens of your eye is normally transparent. This enables light to pass easily through it to the retina, where images of what you are seeing are processed and sent to your brain via the optic nerve.
The lens is composed mostly of water and protein. As we age, the natural proteins may begin to clump together, making some or all of the lens cloudy. This condition, called a “cataract”, makes it difficult for light to travel through the lens, and the images processed by the retina are cloudy or blurry.
Cataracts are the most common cause of blurred vision in people over the age of 50. Although no medication or special diets can cure them, cataracts can be surgically removed by your ophthalmologist and replaced with a permanent artificial lens implant, called an intraocular lens or IOL, to restore your lost vision.
About 90% of people see better after cataract surgery, and this will continue to improve for several months. But don’t expect your vision to be perfect. You may still need to wear glasses or contacts, especially for reading, up-close work and driving.
If you want to be able to function without eyeglasses or contacts after your cataract surgery, the doctors at Elmquist Eye Group will help you explore which intraocular lens is the best match for your lifestyle.
Traditional Monofocal Lens Implant: This lens enables us to correct either your distance vision or your near vision. It is designed for patients who do not mind wearing glasses or contacts for all activities after cataract surgery.
Blended Monovision Lens Implants: One implant can be calculated to correct your distance vision and the other implant your near vision. You should plan to wear glasses for some tasks, especially night driving and visually demanding close-up tasks.
Toric Lens Implant: This lens is designed to reduce astigmatism and treat your cataracts. You may still need glasses for reading and computer work after surgery.
Multifocal Lens Implant: This lens corrects your vision at distance, intermediate and near. If being less dependent on glasses interests you, this is a lens that you should consider.
To learn more about what to expect from your vision after cataract surgery, we encourage you to call Elmquist Eye Group at (239) 936-2020 to find out how we can help.