Shedding New Light on Vision Care

A Closer Look at Cataracts

Cataracts are quite common, especially as people age. According to the National Eye Institute, more than half of people age 80 or over have cataracts or have had surgery to remove them.

Cataracts form when proteins and fibers in your eye’s lens begin to break down. They cause hazy or blurry vision, which can interfere with reading and daily activities. Cataracts worsen over time, until surgery is necessary, and if left untreated, they can cause blindness. Cataract surgery can restore vision and is one of the most commonly performed and safest surgical procedures in the United States.

Fixed vs. Adjustable Lenses

Traditional cataract surgery uses “fixed” lenses, which can’t be adjusted. During surgery, the ophthalmologist removes the patient’s damaged lens and replaces it with a clear, synthetic fixed lens. The procedure typically takes less than a day for each eye, followed by a few postoperative visits.

Surgery with light-adjustable lenses lets ophthalmologists fine tune your vision later. The lenses are made of a special photosensitive material that changes shape and power in response to ultraviolet (UV) light. Once the lenses are implanted, Dr. Sanders uses a phoropter refracting device to check patients’ vision; this is the same testing device used during any routine eye exam to evaluate vision and determine correction.

Then, with input from the patient, she delivers UV light to reshape the lens based on the visual correction needed. Vision improves with every light adjustment. Lenses can be adjusted up to three times post-surgery, with a week or two in between for patients to “test drive” their vision.

“The beauty of the light-adjustable lens is that you can give people blended vision, with time built in to see if they like it,” said Dr. Sanders. “This enables us to provide a level of eye care truly customized to each patient’s lifestyle.”

The process begins with preoperative testing to determine if patients qualify for the procedure. Patients who opt for the light-adjustable lenses can expect more follow-up visits after surgery to adjust the lenses, but with the reward of truly optimized vision. “Patient satisfaction is very high at the end of treatment,” Dr. Sanders pointed out, “because it’s so interactive, and the outcome is so customized.”

Other Lens Types

Along with light-adjustable lenses, other types of lenses can be implanted to improve vision and reduce patients’ dependence on glasses. Some patients can’t or won’t tolerate monovision, or when one eye is adjusted to see far, and one to see near. For these patients, multifocal lenses are the best option. Designed to correct myopia, hyperopia and presbyopia, these lenses enable clear vision at varying distances.

Toric lenses are ideal for patients who need to be treated simultaneously for both cataracts and astigmatism. As Dr. Sanders explained, “My goal is to have people see as clearly as possible after cataract surgery, and advancements in technology are making this possible today in ways that were not available even 10 years ago.”

In addition to offering advanced cataract care, Dr. Sanders also provides standard eye and vision care that people of all ages need, including annual eye exams. She treats people of all ages for dry eye syndrome, vision correction, macular degeneration, glaucoma and other eye-related conditions.