Experiencing Cataracts
Dr. Harvey | Anterior Segment Eye Surgeon
What is a Cataract?
A cataract is the slow, progressive clouding of the eye’s natural lens. At birth, the natural lens is clear, but as we age it yellows and hardens. It is caused by a change in proteins of the lens, which make it less translucent. The cataract interferes with light passing through the eye, resulting in a gradually blurring or fuzzing of vision. Everyone will at some point develop cataracts based on lifestyle, genetics and age.
Cataract Symptoms
Having a cataract can be like looking through a foggy car windshield. Things may look blurry, hazy or less colorful, but often the change has been so gradual you may not even realize your vision has been compromised.
Symptoms that you may notice are a reduced ability to see well at night, especially while driving or viewing oncoming headlights. You may notice you’re more sensitive to sunlight or lamplight. And quite often, you realize your glasses prescription is changing frequently, after a long period of stability. While you may think it is an error with the prescription, it is more likely cataracts, and glasses won’t help the condition.
Modern Cataract Surgery
Cataract surgery is an operation to remove the natural lens in your eye when it becomes cloudy. The lens functions to bend (refract) light rays that enter the eye to help you focus. If the lens is cloudy or compromised, it makes it difficult for light to penetrate and for you to see well.
A cataract will progress until eventually there is a complete loss of vision in the eye. Surgery is the only way to correct a cataract. You should consider surgery when cataracts cause enough loss of vision to interfere with driving, hobbies, reading, or general enjoyment of daily life.
LENS IMPLANT CHOICES
During cataract surgery, your cloudy natural lens is removed and replaced with a clear lens implant. That lens is called an intraocular lens (IOL), and the choice of implants is critical to the way you’ll see for the rest of your life. Dr. Harvey will spend time visiting with you about your lifestyle, career, hobbies, and vision needs. He will then recommend lens implant options that deliver the range of vision you desire.
Cataract Surgery
Why Choose Independent Vision Group?
- Experienced Surgeon
- Advanced Technology
- Personalized Care
- Convenient Locations
- Collaborative Care
- Partnered with state-of-the art Opthalmic surgery center
Dr. Harvey has performed tens of thousands of successful cataract surgeries in the Chippewa Valley.
We are partnered with the area’s only state-of-the-art, dedicated ophthalmic surgical facility, Independent Surgery Center. Our collaborative care model allows you to be seen close to home, often in the office of your current eye care provider.
Experience the latest advancements in cataract surgery with options to see distance and near vision all in one procedure. With many options available, Dr. Harvey and his highly trained team are professionals in helping you select the option that is best for your lifestyle.
Experience + Personal Care
Choosing Independent Vision Group for your intraocular care means choosing a team that prioritizes your satisfaction and exceeds your expectations at every stage of your treatment. We understand that vision is a precious gift, and we are committed to helping you maintain it for a lifetime.
With our experienced team, advanced technology, personalized care, convenient locations, and patient-focused approach, we believe we are the right choice for your intraocular care needs.
Contact us today to schedule a consultation and experience the difference of exceptional care.
Vision After Cataract Surgery
YOU HAVE VISION CHOICES
Choosing to move forward with cataract surgery is an easy conversation between you and your doctor. The more detailed conversation is what type of vision you want after surgery. You have options for lens replacement. You might choose to replace your clouded lens with a traditional single-focus (monofocal) lens or prefer a multi-vision lens implant that provides a fuller range of vision (multifocal lens).
Traditional monofocal implants provide clear vision at a single focus point, usually set for distance. Newer advanced lens implants provide a fuller range of vision, improving how well you see without glasses at near, intermediate and distance. Most patients choose a multifocal lens because they’d like to be free of glasses most of the day.
UNDERSTANDING LENS IMPLANTS
Correcting Distance Vision With A Single-Focus Lens
A monofocal or single-focus lens is designed to provide clear vision at a single focal point – usually distance. This means you will be able to see objects far away, but will need glasses for reading and close, detailed work. However, if you have astigmatism, a monofocal lens will not fully correct distance vision and you will usually need glasses for all distances.
Correcting Astigmatism
Astigmatism is a common condition where your eye is out-of-round, shaped more like a football than a basketball. Your vision is potentially affected by two types of astigmatism — corneal and lenticular — and we can correct both with advanced astigmatism treatments.
Studies show that 40% of patients who have lens replacement surgery also need to correct astigmatism in order to achieve their best vision. There are two ways we correct astigmatism during lens replacement. The most advanced method uses a Toric lens implant. For those patients who suffer from astigmatism so pronounced that they are outside the power range of the Toric lens, we recommend a combination treatment of lens replacement and relaxing incisions that delivers both improved vision and astigmatism correction.
Full-Range Vision With Multifocal Iols
Traditional lens replacement provided only one focal point — usually distance — leaving you dependent upon reading glasses or bifocals after cataract surgery. Recent advances in multifocal technology now make it possible for you to read magazines, newspapers, tablets and phones, without magnifying glasses or bifocals. These still allow you to see objects at mid-range like the dashboard of your car or your food clearly, while enjoying crisp distance vision for day and nighttime driving.
Acrysof Vivity
The Vivity lens is a continuous-range-of-focus lens that provides more natural vision through its novel optical technology. Called X-Wave, this technology achieves smoother vision transitions by stretching and shifting light as it enters the eye, rather than splitting light as other lens implants do. Optimization of all available light improves vision quality, resulting in excellent distance vision, sharp intermediate vision, and good quality near vision.
Panoptix Trifocal
The PanOptix lens uses a proprietary design that optimizes intermediate vision without compromising near and distance vision. By maximizing the light that reaches the retina, it reduces light scatter and the side effects caused by this older technology. In addition, the lens power is set at a intermediate focal point which is well suited to those requiring great vision for computer use, phones and reading.
Multi-Vision Lens Implants
As we age, our vision can seem to fail. We need more light, we hold things further away, nighttime glare or the inability to focus up close may cause us to give up driving or favorite hobbies. Many think this is simply an unfortunate part of aging. However, multi-vision lens implants have allowed people to turn back time, truly and permanently.
Tecnis Multifocal
The TECNIS multifocal lens uses concentric zones to create fuller-range vision. Manufactured by Advanced Medical Optics, the Tecnis lens offers patients high-quality day or night fuller-range vision. Its unique design gives patients superior near vision and rapid reading speed.
Tecnis Symfony
TECNIS Symfony uses the same materials and overall design as the TECNIS multifocal IOL, but provides an extended depth of focus (EDOF) when implanted in both eyes. The Symfony also has astigmatism correction directly engineered into the lens, allowing an unparalleled level of vision clarity and crispness at mid-range through distance.
PanOptix, Vivity, Tecnis and Symfony Multifocal IOLs are proven to improve near, intermediate and distance vision in FDA clinical trials. They each provide excellent vision quality to those weighing the importance of multiple focus points without glasses in daily life.
Dr. Harvey will discuss which lens will best match your needs during your Lens Implant Evaluation.
3 Steps To Your Best Vision For Life
AFTERCARE
Immediately after Procedure:
We recommended you go home and rest after your procedure. It is common to experience some mild irritation. You will want to avoid strenuous activity for a short period of time.
1 Day
Plan to attend your first post-operative visit. You will likely be seeing better already! During this appointment you will review any prescribed medications and you will be given instructions on how to slowly return to normal activities.
1 Month
Most patients make a full recovery in less than four weeks, and are able to return to all normal activities with clearer vision.
Learn about Cataract Surgery
Frequently Asked Questions
A cataract is a clouding of the natural lens in the eye, which can lead to vision loss or impairment. It is usually a result of aging, but can also be caused by injury, medications, or certain medical conditions.
Cataract development can cause a variety of symptoms, including blurry or hazy vision, difficulty seeing at night, sensitivity to light, double vision, and faded or washed-out colors.
During cataract surgery, the cloudy natural lens is removed and replaced with an artificial intraocular lens (IOL). The procedure typically takes less than 20 minutes and is virtually painless. You may plan to return home immediately after your procedure.
The need for glasses after cataract surgery depends on several factors. The most relevant is the type of lens implant chosen. Many patients find that they no longer need glasses for distance vision after surgery, but may still require them for reading or close-up tasks.
Most health insurance plans cover basic cataract surgery when it becomes a medically necessary procedure. However, out-of-pocket costs can vary depending on your coverage and the implant you choose.
In most cases each eye is done on a separate day. Typically the second eye is done one day, to one week after your first eye is completed.
I wish I could give 10 stars! Very professional from start to finish. Very relaxed, friendly staff.
I am 100% delighted with my experience with everyone I encountered with Independent Vision Group. I had cataracts in both eyes and, as time went by, they were making my vision more and more blurry even with my glasses on. I can honestly say that I have never been more pleased with an entire medical-related experience. I now have 20/20 vision in both eyes without glasses. I gladly recommend Dr Harvey and the Independent Vision Group to anyone with vision symptoms similar to those that I encountered. I couldn’t be happier with the experience or the result. Check them out. It may be just what you need. It was for me.
I had cataract and vision correction implant lens surgery a few weeks ago. I have been dependent on glasses since I was five years old and in the past few years I developed cataracts. I still reach for my glasses in the morning, but then I open my eyes and remember, I can see! Perfectly! And what a joy it is to see true colors and be free of glasses and contacts.
Super friendly and helpful. Best customer service and staff I have ever met. They have this process streamlined in the most efficient way possible. You will never regret making the decision to go to Independent Vision Group.
