South Jersey Eye Physicians expertise and experience with helping cataract patients began with the founding of our practice by Philip Horowitz, M.D. Since that time we have restored vision loss from cataracts for many thousands of patients just like you. Our commitment to the delivering the best patient experiences starts in our offices and continues through your day of cataract surgery & lens implant surgery in our onsite surgery center.
About Cataracts
Cataracts are a problem experienced by a great number of people just like you. Cataracts are a common cause of vision problems among people in their 50’s and 60’s and they are actually a major cause of senior eye problems and vision loss. More than 20 million Americans age 40 and older have cataracts and more than half of all Americans develop cataracts by age 80. A cataract is a clouding of the crystalline lens of the eye preventing light rays from passing through it easily. This results in a clouding and blurring of vision. For many patients, cataracts start out slowly and have little effect on vision at first. But, as the cataract becomes denser, so does the impact on vision.
Symptoms of Cataracts
If you are developing a cataract or already have cataracts you may experience symptoms such as a clouding or blurring of your vision and perhaps feel that you might need a change of eyeglasses. You may notice that it is not as easy to see well and comfortably in dim illumination, such as for night driving. You may notice that colors look faded and you may be bothered by glare, haloes, light sensitivity and a continuing decrease in your vision. These are the visual symptoms that are common for those patients whose crystalline lens has clouded and formed a cataract. If you are experiencing one of more of these symptoms please be sure to let your eye doctor know at your eye exam.
People who develop a cataract often experience some common symptoms that may include:
- Blurring or Clouding of Vision
- Glare, or Light Sensitivity
- Poor Night Vision
- Double Vision in One Eye or a Shadowy Image
- Needing Brighter Light to Read
- Fading or Yellowing of Colors
About Cataract Surgery
During cataract surgery we remove cataract and replace it with a clear permanent lens implant (IOL) in order to correct your vision. Among seniors and “baby boomers,” cataract surgery is one of the safest, most effective, predictable and common operations performed the U.S with more than 2.5 million people having cataract surgery & lens implants each year. At South Jersey Eye Physicians our cataract surgeons Dr. James Nachbar & Dr. Sander Cohen offer advanced surgical options using state-of-the-art technology at our Onsite Surgical Center and typically perform the cataract operation and lens implant surgery on an outpatient basis which offers comfortable and convenient same-day surgery.
The Cataract Surgery Procedure
Preparation for your cataract operation will begin with a few sets of drops being placed in your eye to dilate your pupil. Additionally, your eye will be treated with anesthetic drops to numb the surface of your eye so that you will feel little if any discomfort during your cataract surgery. In addition, you will be given medicines to help you relax if desired. The entire procedure usually takes less than 30 minutes and is not uncomfortable.
About Lens Implants
During your cataract exam and preoperative measurement visit, Drs. Nachbar or Cohen and the staff will discuss choosing a cataract lens implant to correct your vision and help you see clearly. There are many types of Intraocular Lens Implants (IOL) that we can use in order to provide you with the best results to match your lifestyle and activities after cataract surgery. These different types of lens implants include:
- Monofocal Lens Implants which are the most basic type of lens implant and only correct distance vision and not arms-length or close reading vision.
- Toric Lens Implants for those patients with astigmatism to help them see clearly at distance without glasses.
- Presbyopia Correcting Lens Implants such as the AcrySof® IQ PanOptix™ Trifocal Lens Implant, the TECNIS Symfony and TECNIS Synergy™ Lens Implants (IOL) which correct distance vision, as well as a range of arms-length vision and close reading vision for most patients.
Presbyopia correcting multifocal lens implants are a good choice for those who wish to reduce their dependence on eyeglasses, bifocals and reading glasses after cataract surgery. We will take the time necessary to answer all of your questions so you can relax on the day of your surgery.