Developing cataracts that decrease your vision can be alarming, but we offer a safe solution that eliminates cataracts quickly and painlessly. Dr. Armesto helps patients in the Harrisburg area choose the right time for lens replacement, and he offers options that will get the best results for your personal vision. You can trust Dr. Armesto to help you make the right decision for you.

What are Cataracts?

The word “cataract” describes a clouding of the natural lens of the eye, which plays an important role in vision. The clear lens focuses light on the retina to transmit images to the brain. Cataracts affect vision because they blur or discolor the image that reaches your retina. Almost all people over 75 develop cataracts, and many develop them even earlier. Cataracts don’t always diminish your vision, but they do tend to worsen or become more severe over time.

Cataract Correction

Cataracts rarely cause damage to other parts of the eye, so they can often be left untreated until they begin to affect your vision. Lens replacement is the most effective way of correcting cataracts and reversing their effects. In fact, cataract correction is the most common surgery performed in the US, and it has the lowest rate of side effects and complications.

Cataract correction is a minimally invasive pain-free outpatient procedure that takes less than 20 minutes. This begins with precise laser scanning of the eye. After placing dilating drops, you will be given a mild sedative. Dr. Armesto will place a numbing solution in your eye and then use definite, advanced ultrasonic technology to remove the cloudy lens from your eye through a microscopic incision. Your new customized clear lens is then gently placed where your original lens used to be. Once surgery is complete, Dr. Armesto will place additional drops in your eye to prevent infection and decrease inflammation. Because the opening into the eye is so small, it heals quickly on its own, without any need for stitches.

There are many misconceptions about what a is. Cataract’s are:

• Not a Film Over the Eye
• Not Caused by Overusing the Eyes
• Not Spread From One Eye To the Other
• Not a Cause of Irreversible Blindness

Common symptoms of cataract include:

• A Painless Blurring of Vision
• Glare, or Light Sensitivity
• Frequent Eyeglass Prescription Changes
• Double Vision In One Eye
• Needing Brighter Light to Read
• Poor Night Vision-difficulty seeing to drive
• Fading or Yellowing of Colors

The amount and pattern of cloudiness within the lens can vary. If the cloudiness is not near the center of the lens, you may not be aware that a cataract is present.

What causes a Cataract?

The most common type of cataract is related to aging of the eye. Other causes of cataract include:

• Family History
• Medical Problems, Such as Diabetes
• Injury to the Eye
• Medications, Such as Steroids
• Long-term, Unprotected Exposure to Sunlight
• Previous Eye Surgery
• Unknown Factors
• Treatment for Cataracts

Cataract Surgery

Cataracts rarely cause damage to other parts of the eye, so they can often be left untreated until they begin to affect your vision. Lens replacement is the most effective way of correcting cataracts and reversing their effects. In fact, cataract correction is the most common surgery performed in the US, and it has the lowest rate of side effects and complications.

Cataract correction is a minimally invasive pain-free outpatient procedure that takes less than 20 minutes. This begins with precise laser scanning of the eye.  After placing dilating drops, you will be given a mild sedative.  Dr. Armesto will place a numbing solution in your eye and then use definite, advanced ultrasonic technology to remove the cloudy lens from your eye through a microscopic incision. Your new customized clear lens is then gently placed where your original lens used to be. Once surgery is complete, Dr. Armesto will place additional drops in your eye to prevent infection and decrease inflammation. Because the opening into the eye is so small, it heals quickly on its own, without any need for stitches.

New Technology Lens Implants

The most commonly used IOL is a single-vision lens (monofocal). With a monofocal IOL, you will definitely need glasses to read, and you may also need glasses for some distance activities.

When your eyes were young, your natural lens was both transparent and flexible. Because of this, your vision was most likely stable until you reached your forties. Around that time, you may have noticed that you had to hold a menu or a book farther and farther away to read it. Many people end up wearing a pair of reading glasses or bifocals to compensate for this aging of the eye. This condition is called “presbyopia” and eventually affects everyone, including those who are nearsighted, farsighted, have cataracts, or had perfect vision most of their life.

The new presbyopic-correcting implants are designed to improve your vision to see near, far and in between. These new IOLs are available as a multifocal or accommodating lens.

Medicare has recently decided to allow cataract patients the option of choosing a new technology lens implant. Medicare and most private insurance carriers will pay 80% of your cataract surgery and the single-vision (monofocal) lens. You will have some out-of-pocket cost for the new technology lens implant. Please call our office so that we may send more information to you on the new lens technology.

Why Dr. Armesto for Cataract Correction?

Whether you live in Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia or even farther away, Dr. Armesto can help you get the greatest vision benefit for your unique situation. We offer premium lens implants, which go beyond traditional single-focus lens replacement. While standard lens implants provide clear vision but require glasses or corrective lenses, premium lenses such as ReSTOR®, Tecnis®, or Crystalens® allow you to see objects near, far, and at middle distance reducing the need for glasses.  Also, for patients with astigmatism, higher quality of vision can be obtained with specialized toric lenses.  Because of Dr. Armesto’s advanced training, he is often called upon to manage more complicated issues regarding cataract and lens implants.

Dr. Armesto will help you decide whether you’re a good candidate for cataract correction. As a corneal and refractive surgery specialist, he can offer the specific options or upgrades that will get you the clearest, highest quality vision possible.

To find out how Dr. Armesto could help you see better, schedule a consultation today.