Intraocular lenses (IOLs) are medical devices that are used in a type vision correction surgery called refractive lens exchange. Continue reading
What is a Cataract?
A cataract is the gradual clouding of the natural lens inside your eye, which allows less light to pass through the eye, causing blurred vision. Cataracts form naturally as we ate and most people will start to notice clouding in the lens as early as 40 years of age! But not to worry cataract surgery is one of the most common ophthalmic procedures performed with more than 4 million procedures done per year in the U.S.
How will I know if I have Cataracts?
One of the most frequently asked questions of Dr. Kilpatrick is, “How will I know when it is time for cataract surgery?“ We have put together a list of 7 signs that cataract surgery is near.
1. Vision is not clear even when wearing your best prescription eyewear.
2. Uncomfortable glare, especially at night.
3. Blurred vision. Example: reading news ticker on the bottom of the TV screen.
4. Trouble reading up close.
5. Color vision is affected. Blues and purple appear too dark. Whites appear creamy or beige. This tends to happen slowly, which might make it hard to notice until after surgery is performed.
6. Needing more light than usual to read.
7. Near sightedness increasing quickly, causing frequent eyeglass changes.
To diagnose cataracts you will need to have a cataract evaluation, in which Dr. Kilpatrick will perform a few standard tests to determine if cataracts are present. Early cases of cataracts may be treated with stronger eyeglasses, brighter lighting at home and magnifying reading lenses. This can improve your vision but will not directly treat cataracts. If your cataracts are significantly impairing your vision then it may be time for cataract surgery. For more information about Cataracts click here!
Call 480-994-1872 to schedule your free Cataract Consultation! Our knowledgable team will go over everything you need to know about Cataract Surgery and all of your options!
5 Cataract facts and myths. Though cataracts are the leading cause of vision loss worldwide, myths persist about their cause and treatment. Cataracts affect nearly 22 million Americans aged 40 and older. By age 80, more than half of all Americans will have cataracts, according to the National Eye Institute.
“Cataracts are not preventable, but they are treatable,” said Richard P. Mills, MD, “and the best way to ensure vision stays healthy for a lifetime is to schedule a visit with an ophthalmologist or optometrist. In fact, more than 90 percent of the people who have cataract surgery regain useful vision.”
Separating Cataract Fact from Fiction
Cataracts are a natural result of aging. As the eye’s lens, which sits behind the pupil, grows older, its cells die and accumulate, turning the lens yellowed and cloudy. The result is blurred vision and “fuzzy” images. Eye injuries, certain medications and diseases such as diabetes are also known to cause cataracts. In the early stages, stronger lighting and eyeglasses may lessen vision problems caused by cataracts. But at a certain point, cataract surgery—the most frequently performed operation in the United States—may be necessary to improve vision.
Five Common Cataract facts and myths to Dispel
MYTH 1: Eye drops can prevent or dissolve cataracts.
FACT: No. The Food and Drug Administration has not approved any drops that cure or delay cataracts. Some products claim they can prevent cataracts, but cataract formation is a natural part of the eye’s aging process. Other products claim they can “dissolve” cataracts. But since cataracts are not a “substance,” there is nothing for the drops to dissolve.
MYTH 2: Close-up tasks like reading or sewing make cataracts worse.
FACT: No. Cataracts are not caused by how people use their eyes. However, cataracts likely become more noticeable during close work. One sign of a cataract is the need for more light to do the same activities well.
MYTH 3: Cataracts are reversible.
FACT: No. The lens naturally clouds as it ages. This process is unavoidable. However, its progress can be slowed by quitting smoking, eating a balanced diet and wearing sunglasses with 100% UVA and UVB protection.
MYTH 4: Cataract surgery is dangerous, and recovery takes months.
FACT: No. Cataract surgery is one of the safest and most highly perfected surgical procedures in medicine, with a 95 per cent success rate. Of course, as with any surgery, risks do exist and should be discussed with a doctor before the procedure. Patients will need to avoid dunking their eye under swimming pool water for up to two weeks after the procedure, as well as refrain from rubbing or pressing the eye. Normal activities may be resumed the day after surgery. Cataract patients often notice vision improvement immediately following surgery, and others will notice more gradual improvement for a few months afterward.
MYTH 5: Cataracts “grow back.”
FACT: No. Cataracts develop as the lens’ cells die and accumulate; they are not a “growth” that sits on top of the eye. Patients often develop a different, secondary cataract, though. If the membrane that holds the new lens implant becomes cloudy, vision can be compromised. But this can easily be treated with laser surgery, a painless, 2-minute procedure.
These 5 Cataract facts and myths are the most popular questions and concerns patients may have. For more information about cataracts and cataract surgery please call our office at 480-994-1872 to make an appointment!
This article modified and reprinted with permission from the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s EyeSmart® program (www.geteyesmart.org).
Cataracts have been known to be one of the leading causes of vision loss in the United States, and by the age of 65 90% of all Americans will develop a degree of cataracts. A cataract is the gradual clouding of the lens inside your eye, which causes vision impairment or vision loss. But the good news is cataract surgery is one of the safest and most effective surgical procedures performed. This simple and pain free procedure takes very little time and the success rate is very high!
At Scottsdale Eye Physicians & Surgeons, we have over 40 years of experience in cataract surgery. Dr. Kilpatrick is one of only a handful of ophthalmologist in Phoenix performing both femtosecond laser surgery for cataracts and using the OptiPlus ORA to refine the implant lens measurement and positioning. Dr. Kilpatrick has performed thousands of Cataract surgeries through out the years and has helped all of his patients with improved vision!
If cataract surgery is recommended, the 20-minute procedure will take place in a state of the art out-patient eye surgical center. Topical anesthetic drops will be used to numb the eye. Then the cloudy lens is removed and replaced with a new intraocular lens. From start to finish the patient will be at the surgery center approximately 2 hours.
After the surgery is performed patients will go back to their normal lifestyle. There is no need for an eye patch and there will be only minor restrictions in physical activity for a few days (no swimming). Patients often return to work the next day. Most of our patients will have no or minimal pain after the surgery is performed. If a patient does experience any discomfort, Dr. Kilpatrick recommends taking an over the counter pain reliever such Tylenol.
Take a look at this short video that better explains the surgical process!
All of us will develop Cataracts as we age so make an appointment now to discuss your options! To make an appointment or schedule cataract surgery call our office at 480-994-1872 to make an appointment with Dennis Kilpatrick, MD.
When you find out you have cataracts, it can be unsettling and scary! Continue reading
Having surgery performed on your eyes can be a little scary so our Ophthalmologist, Dennis Kilpatrick, MD, has answered some of the most common surgery fears!
Going blind after cataract surgery is extremely rare. If a patient were to go blind it would most likely be due to an infection in the eye. With the antibiotics and advanced technology blindness after cataract surgery is very uncommon!
The incision for the surgery is about 2.5mm in size and most of the time no stitches are needed. In some more rare cases a stitch will be used. The stitch is usually removed 1 week after surgery and most patients do not feel it being removed.
Eye patches are not usually necessary after cataract surgery!
Yes, State Law requires someone other than the patient to drive away from the surgery center after cataract surgery. Most patients will be able to drive themselves the day after surgery, however.
Almost not at all. You can go back to your regular routine the day of surgery! Years ago patients were not allowed to shower, bend over, pick up heavy objects, or sleep on the side that the eye was worked on; but with the advancements in surgery technology there is no longer a need for extreme limitation in your daily routine.
Swimming or sitting in a hot tub after surgery is totally fine as long as no water gets in the eye. Protective eyewear is highly encouraged. There is no restriction on tap water, such as face washing or showering.
The next day in most cases!
Dr. Kilpatrick almost always uses topical anesthetic to numb the eye when performing cataract surgery. After surgery, if there is minor discomfort, Tylenol or Ibuprofen can be taken.
No shots will be needed in or around the eye for cataract surgery! Shots in the eye are a very rare occurrence!
Yes, after cataract surgery reading glasses are usually needed. Special implant lenses are available to correct astigmatism and replace reading glasses. However they are not covered by insurance.
Are there any questions we didn’t answer about Cataract Surgery? Call Scottsdale Eye Physicians & Surgeons at 480-994-1872 to speak with one of our staff members or to make an appointment with one of our Doctors!
At Scottsdale Eye Physicians and Surgeons we strive to offer the best technology for our patients. We are excited to share some of the recent advancements in Cataract Surgery. When performing Cataract surgery, the patient may choose a blade-less surgery procedure with the use of the femtosecond laser. The femtosecond is a cold laser that uses a series of very brief pulses to make incisions in tissue without using a blade. Each pulse is only a femtosecond in duration, which is one-millionth of one-billionth of a second. It is the same laser technology that has been used so successfully in LASIK procedures for over 15 years.
The machine first scans the eye and creates a 3-D computer image. This image is then used by the laser to quickly create customized corneal incisions at just the right depth and placement, create the incisions on the front of the lens, and soften the cataract in preparation for removal. The laser can also treat astigmatism, reducing the dependency on glasses or contact lenses. The laser portion of the cataract surgery requires only topical anesthetic, and takes about 3-4 minutes from start to finish. The patient is then moved to a conventional operating room to complete the cataract removal.
The precision and architecture of the incisions made by a femtosecond laser is far greater than can be achieved by manually using metal or diamond blades, like in the past. This greater precision allows more accurate centering of the intraocular lens implant, faster healing, and more predictable results. Because the laser pre-softens the cataract, it lowers the risk of surgery complications during removal of the cataract. The femtosecond laser allows surgeons to achieve the safest, most consistent visual outcome for their patients.
A major advancement last month makes it even better. The femtosecond laser platform Dr. Kilpatrick uses (LensAR) now utilizes a pre-operative corneal scan that loads data wirelessly right into the laser. The Cassini Corneal Shape Analyzer takes measurements quickly and painlessly, a little like getting a photograph taken of the eye, and is done at the surgery center a few minutes before the patient receives their femtosecond laser treatment.
When the surgeon makes an incision in the cornea to do cataract surgery, that incision changes the orientation and amount of the patient’s astigmatism. The Cassini uses a special formula to program the femtosecond laser to automatically correct for the surgeon-induced astigmatism.
The Cassini also “registers” the appearance of the iris so that the astigmatism measured while the patient is upright can be accurately corrected when the patient is lying down for surgery. This is important because the human eye often rotates a little when we lie down, which could make the astigmatism treatment less precise.
Finally, the Cassini measures the density of the cataract, which allows the femtosecond laser to tailor the amount of cataract softening energy used. Now the surgeon can lower the laser energy on some patients who don’t need as much, and increase it on others to get better softening.
Although there are other femtosecond laser platforms now being used, none of the others offer the marriage with the Cassini Corneal Shape Analyzer equipment. Dr. Dennis Kilpatrick is one the first cataract surgeons in Arizona to start doing femtosecond cataract surgery in March 2013, and he continues to offer the cutting edge technology to his patients.
For more information about Cataracts and Cataract surgery Please visit our website ScottsdaleEye.com or call 480-994-1872 to make an appointment!
