Traditional cataract surgery is one of the safest and most successful procedures performed in medicine. Technological breakthroughs are helping advance an already successful procedure, allowing surgeons to customize cataract surgery to each patient’s needs, resulting in better visual outcomes. If you have cataracts and need cataract surgery, you may be eligible for laser-assisted cataract surgery!
Laser cataract surgery boasts many benefits in contrast to traditional cataract surgery. For example, the computer-guided laser used during laser cataract surgery offers a level of customization, allowing surgeons to perform surgeries specific to the patient’s unique anatomy. Patients everywhere have been experiencing this surgery with great results, and you can too!
Cataracts are inevitable. As we age, the natural crystalline lens inside of the eye begins to cloud, causing blurry vision. If left long enough, cataracts can cause blindness. Luckily, no matter how advanced the cataract, cataract surgery will drastically improve your vision. Surgery is the only treatment for cataracts, and once cataracts start to develop it is really only a matter of time before surgery is needed. As a general rule, ophthalmologists will wait until the cataract interferes with daily life to perform cataract surgery.
Cataract surgery using a laser is almost identical to traditional cataract surgery, with one difference. At The Eye Institute of West Florida, our Tampa Bay eye surgeons are proud to have three laser platforms in our state-of-the-art Largo Ambulatory Surgery Center, allowing them to even further customize the procedure. The LENSAR femtosecond laser, LenSx laser, and Victus laser are used to create an incision in the cornea, through which the cataract will be removed. Replacing the traditional blade used during cataract surgery, the LENSAR, LenSx and Victus lasers create the most precise incision possible and even have the ability to correct astigmatism.
With laser cataract surgery, an advanced femtosecond laser replaces the use of a hand-held surgical tool for the following steps during cataract surgery:
Please consult the cataract teams at The Eye Institute of West Florida to determine the exact costs of your total cataract experience. Remember, you have options for both the type of surgery and the type of lens implant that will be used. Your costs will vary depending on these two primary factors. After your cataract evaluation, one of our surgical counselors will be happy to discuss your different options and associated pricing.
Traditional phacoemulsification cataract surgery is a great cataract surgery that has helped millions of people. With the femtosecond laser cataract surgery, the equipment enables the cataract surgeon to use less ultrasound energy. This may allow quicker visual recovery for patients as well as reducing the stress load on the eye itself. At your pre-operative cataract vision evaluation, your cataract surgeon will recommend a customized surgical plan that may include creating ultra-precise laser incisions in the cornea and a specific advanced intraocular lens implant. This customized laser refractive treatment may reduce your need for glasses or contact lenses following cataract surgery. Please visit our cataract surgery and advanced technology lens implant pages on this website to better understand this customized approach to cataract surgery. We feel that all patients should learn about their options as these can dramatically improve the way you see after cataract surgery.
Once you have made the decision to undergo cataract surgery with one of the cataract surgeons at The Eye Institute of West Florida, you will have a series of decisions to make related to the type of artificial lens implant you will have. Up until recently, everyone who had cataract surgery received a monofocal lens implant. This lens enabled for vision of one distance, typically distances far away. With new innovations, a better lens is now available. These lenses are referred to as premium lenses and come in various formats or types:
The femtosecond laser is not offered by all cataract surgeons and not all patients are candidates for its use. The Eye Institute of West Florida is one of the only practices in the world with three laser platform options for our patients, allowing our cataract surgeons to customize the procedure to the patient’s specific ocular structure and visual needs. If you are interested in laser cataract surgery, the cataract surgeons at The Eye Institute of West Florida have the experience and training you can trust.
Results can vary, but most people enjoy dramatically improved vision following laser cataract surgery. Within the first day of cataract surgery, it is very important not to rub or press on your eye. It is common that you will have some itching, tearing, and mild discomfort.
