What Is A Cataract?
A cataract is a condition in which the lens of the eye becomes cloudy or opaque. This cloudiness interferes with the passage of light rays through the lens and prevents them from being sharply focused on the retina, the back wall of the eye. This condition results in varying degrees of blurred vision.

Restoring Clear Vision
By placing a small incision in the eye, our skilled surgeons remove the cataract by a process called phacoemulsification, during which the surgeon dissolves the cataract. This method is commonly regarded as the laser technique, but actually it uses sound waves to disintegrate the cataract and then vacuum the microscopic particles from the eye. Lasers may be used after cataract surgery to eliminate any residual cloudiness.

At the same time the cataract is removed, the lens of the eye is replaced with a clear lens implant, which is inserted through the same small incision. With the new lens in place, the eye can function properly and normal vision is restored.

Monofocal lens are used in the majority of cataract procedures. These lenses have the advantage of excellent quality distance vision under a variety of lighting conditions. Since these lenses have a fixed focal point which is generally set for distance vision, reading glasses are typically required for good near vision. For patients willing to use reading glasses for near tasks, these lens are an excellent choice. Several million lenses of this variety have been used for decades with an excellent safety record. Recent refinements in the optical quality of these lenses have allowed an even higher quality of vision than previously achievable.

The new multifocal and accommodating IOLs (premium lens options) offer the possibility of seeing well at more than one distance, without glasses or contacts. Montgomery Eye Physicians offer the following premium lens options:

• AcrySof ReSTOR uses apodized diffractive technology — a design that responds to how wide or small the eye's pupil might be — to provide near, intermediate, and distance vision. Clinical studies used to support the March 2005 FDA approval showed that 80 percent of people who received the lens didn't use glasses for any activities after their cataract surgery; 84 percent who received the lens in both eyes had distance vision of 20/25 or better, with near vision of 20/32 or better.
• ReZoom is a multifocal refractive IOL that distributes light over five optical zones to provide near, intermediate, and distance vision. Its manufacturer, Advanced Medical Optics, brought the first multifocal IOL to the U.S. market in the late 1990s; the ReZoom is its second-generation multifocal and was FDA-approved in March 2005. In a European study of 215 patients, 93 percent of ReZoom recipients reported never or only occasionally needing glasses.

The No-Stitch/No-Needle Technique
With the no-stitch cataract removal technique, the incision is very small and angled in a way which will enable it to close on its own. The outward pressure from the fluid within the eye acts as a seal, so there is no need for stitches. The vast majority of cataract surgery is done using anesthestic gel, avoiding the need for any type of injection which allows faster vision recovery and less risk.

Once the incision is made, the surgeon dissolves the cataract by phacoemulsification, inserts an artificial lens through the same incision and allows pressure to seal the incision naturally.

Quick Recovery
Small incision, no-stitch cataract surgery enables the eye to heal fast and reduces recovery time significantly.

In addition, post-operative activities are practically unlimited. With local anesthesia options, you can walk right out of the Surgery Center shortly after surgery and perform most of your daily functions with no restrictions. Many patients are able to return to work or sports within days instead of weeks or months, as was common with older surgery methods.

Within three years after cataract surgery, some patients may need another procedure, a yag capsulatomy, to open the cloudy posterior capsule.

While not everyone is a candidate for no-stitch surgery, at Montgomery Eye Physicians, most patients receive this advanced surgical technique and are able to resume their daily activities quickly and confidently.

State-Of-The-Art Technology
We take great pride in the exceptional service our patients receive. Our highly skilled surgeons have many years of experience and use only the newest, most advanced technology at the Montgomery Eye Surgery Center. Our goal is to make sure you receive high quality, individualized attention in a friendly and caring environment.

If you have any questions please call us at 1-800-763-EYES.