Dry eye is a relatively common condition where tear production doesn’t sufficiently keep the eye lubricated. The cause can vary, though it usually falls into one of two categories. First, the eye may not produce enough tears. Second, the tear composition may not provide enough lubrication, even if the quantity is high.
For those that have dry eyes, finding relief is typically a priority. However, it’s also common to wonder whether dry eye is a serious condition. If you’re wondering whether you should be concerned about your dry eyes, what treatment options are available, and whether you should see your eye care provider, here’s what you need to know.
Are Dry Eyes Serious?
Dry eyes can be a serious condition for several reasons. First, the discomfort they cause can be disruptive to daily life. Itching, burning, and stinging eyes are distracting at a minimum. Second, they can harm visual acuity, as focusing may become challenging.
Finally, dry eyes can increase a person’s odds of developing certain medical conditions. Your risk of an eye infection generally increases. In some cases, abnormal blood vessel development can happen. Scarring and corneal thinning are also possible side effects. In any of these scenarios, permanent vision changes may occur, especially if the dry eyes are left untreated.
Home Treatments for Dry Eyes
If you have mild to moderate dry eye, some home treatments may be viable. Over-the-counter lubricating eye drops are the most common option, as they’re readily available and reasonably affordable.
Other steps may also help. For example, limiting screen time can help. People tend to blink less when viewing screens, which can make dry eyes worse. Having a humidifier may also help, particularly if you live in a dry climate or during the winter when heaters are in use. This increases the amount of moisture in the air, which can slow tear evaporation.
Wearing wraparound sunglasses when outdoors can make a difference, too. That helps keep irritants out of the eye and shields your eyes from the wind. Increasing your intake of omega-3 fatty acids could also potentially provide some relief.
Ophthalmic Treatments for Dry Eyes
If you have moderate to severe dry eye, certain ophthalmic treatments may be more effective than home remedies. There are several prescription eye drops that can treat potential causes of dry eyes. These can include anti-inflammatories, steroids, immunosuppressants, and more.
Certain other medications might work in specific scenarios. For example, there are oral tear-stimulating drugs that can increase tear production. You may also be a strong candidate for eye inserts that work similarly to artificial tears.
Punctal plugs that intentionally block tear-draining ducts to keep tears in your eyes longer may be a viable treatment option. Medical procedures that unblock clogs tear glands might be worth considering as well.
When to See Your Eye Care Provider
Generally, if your dry eye symptoms are disruptive and don’t improve after using home remedies, it’s best to see your eye care provider. They can examine your eyes to determine the potential cause, allowing them to develop an effective treatment plan based on your specific needs.
At ECVA, the safety and health of our patient’s eyes are our priority. If you are experiencing symptoms of dry eye or simply haven’t seen your eye care provider in the past year, the ECVA team is here to help. Schedule an appointment at your closest ECVA clinic today.
For many people who’ve spent time wearing contact lenses or glasses, Lasik may seem like an attractive alternative. Depending on various factors, Lasik could restore your vision or, at a minimum, reduce the need for corrective lenses.
However, not everyone is an ideal candidate for Lasik. Additionally, the results can vary. If you’re considering Lasik, here are some critical questions to ask your ophthalmologist to determine if you’re a good candidate and estimate your results.
Does My Refractive Error Fall Within the Approved Range?
Lasik is only approved to treat specific refractive errors, such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. Additionally, the degree of the error has to fall within a particular range, both individual and, in cases where multiple conditions are present, when taken together. This question allows you to learn if Lasik is a viable option.
Has My Vision Been Relatively Stable Over the Past Few Years?
Fluctuating visual acuity can mean that Lasik isn’t an ideal choice. Ideally, it’s best to have some stability before considering this option, increasing the odds that your results will last long enough to justify the procedure. Generally, your ophthalmologist can review your history with corrective lenses to gauge how much your vision has changed, allowing them to answer this question easily.
Is This the Right Time for Lasik, Based on My Age or Life-Stage?
Vision changes are more common during certain life stages. Often, visual acuity fluctuates through childhood and into young adulthood, as well as after reaching the age of 40 or 45. Certain other medical events, including pregnancy and menopause, and specific conditions can also alter visual acuity. This question helps you determine if Lasik is a good option today or if waiting may be best.
Does My Lifestyle Make Lasik a Good Choice?
How you live your life may impact whether Lasik is right for you. This can include aspects of your work and family life, as well as any sports, hobbies, or other types of recreation you engage in regularly. This question ensures your lifestyle is factored into the equation.
What Alternatives Are Available, Aside from Contacts or Glasses?
While Lasik is a popular option for vision correction, there are alternatives that may better suit your needs. By asking about what’s available, your ophthalmologist can review them with you, ensuring you can move forward with the best option for your situation if an alternative is appropriate.
If There’s an Undesirable Side Effect, What May Occur, and Will Any Harm Be Lasting?
Like any other medical procedure, Lasik can come with side effects. With this question, you can learn about potential outcomes, as well as available treatments should they occur, and how they will impact your vision in the short- and long-term.
Ultimately, asking the right questions ensures you’re properly informed. Additionally, it can give you insights into how the ophthalmologist views you as a candidate, ensuring you fully understand their recommendations.
At ECVA, the safety and health of our patient’s eyes are our priority. If you are considering Lasik or simply haven’t seen your eye care provider in the past year, the ECVA team is here to help. Schedule an appointment at your closest ECVA clinic today.
Retinal detachment is a severe medical condition that can cost you your vision. As a result, it should always be taken seriously, as quick action is generally essential if you want to preserve your sight or repair any damage.
However, many people wonder if a retinal detachment will heal on its own. If you’re curious about that option, here’s a look at retinal detachments, including why they happen and whether they can heal without intervention.
How Do Retinal Detachments Occur?
Retinal detachments can happen for a few reasons. The most common one is age-related. It begins with a retinal tear, which allows vitreous gel in the eye to shift and pull the retina away from the back of the eye. Tractional retinal detachments can occur when scar tissue pulls the retina away, a process that is more common in individuals with diabetes.
With an exudative retinal detachment, fluid builds up behind the retina, pushing it away from the back of the eye. Leaking blood vessels, swelling after an injury, inflation, and macular degeneration can all potentially cause this type of detachment.
Does a Retinal Detachment Heal on Its Own?
If you’re wondering whether a retinal detachment can heal on its own, it’s essential to understand the difference between “healing” and “repairing” in the context of the condition. Technically, the eye can heal from this injury without intervention. However, it won’t repair any damage done. For example, a retina won’t typically reattach without medical intervention.
There are also no home treatments for retinal detachment. Without assistance from your eye care provider, the best you can hope for is no vision loss beyond what you’re currently experiencing, though that may be unlikely if scar tissue, swelling, or other potential side effects exacerbate the detachment.
Treating a Retinal Detachment
As mentioned above, retinal detachments typically require treatment from an eye care provider if you want to preserve your vision or repair any damage. Depending on the type of retinal detachment, various courses of action may be viable.
If there’s a retinal tear, thermal or cryopexy treatments may repair it, preventing any leakage that could lead to a detachment. Pneumatic retinopexy is another option for smaller tears, involving the placement of a strategic bubble to stop leakage.
A scleral buckle can reposition the eye slightly, essentially pushing a segment of the eye back so that the tear or detachment can potentially heal. For larger tears or detachments, a vitrectomy could be necessary.
In many cases, success rates tend to range from 80 to 90 percent, depending on the procedure. Additionally, it could take up to several months for your vision to return, even if it’s a success, depending on the nature of the issue, the severity of the detachment, and other factors.
At ECVA, the safety and health of our patient’s eyes are our priority. If you are experiencing symptoms of a retinal detachment or simply haven’t seen your eye care provider in the past year, the ECVA team is here to help. Schedule an appointment at your closest ECVA clinic today.
When you prepare for an eye appointment, you may discover that your eye care provider will dilate your eyes during the exam. Since that can lead to some mild discomfort in brighter lighting following the appointment and may make driving or other activities difficult for several hours, you may wonder whether dilation is actually necessary.
Similarly, if you’ve had dilated eye exams in the past, but your eye care provider says that dilation isn’t necessary this time, you may wonder why it isn’t being used. In either case, if you want to know when and why dilation eye exams might be necessary and what to expect from these appointments, here’s what you need to know.
Why a Dilated Eye Exam Is Important
Dilation eye exams are important for one main reason; dilation makes it easier to see the back of your eye. When your eyes are dilated, the pupil widens significantly. This allows far more light in and gives your eye care provider a better view.
With a dilated eye exam, your eye care provider can look for signs of various conditions and potentially spot issues during earlier stages. Some diseases and conditions they may be able to spot include: glaucoma, macular degeneration, retinal detachment, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
When and how often you need to have a dilated eye exam depends on several factors. For example, age plays a role. Essentially everyone needs dilation eye exams if they’re age 60 and up every one or two years. However, if you’re at greater risk of certain eye diseases or conditions, you usually start getting dilated eye exams every year or two, beginning at age 40.
Your ethnic background is also a factor, as members of particular groups may have higher occurrences of specific conditions, making frequent dilated eye exams advisable. Similarly, your eye health history, current overall health matter, and the reason you’re coming in for an appointment.
What to Expect from a Dilation Eye Exam
Dilated eye exams aren’t any more invasive than a traditional one. Your eye care provider will apply drops that dilate your pupils, which may sting slightly for a brief period or could cause some mild eye-watering for a few moments. While somewhat uncomfortable, most people wouldn’t classify the drops as a painful experience.
Once your pupils dilate, you may have some light sensitivity and some mild blurriness. Usually, that only lasts a few hours, as the drops wear off during that timeframe. That could make driving more difficult, even if you wear sunglasses, so it’s usually best to have someone drive you after your appointment.
Working, studying, or similar activities may be harder while your eyes are dilated, too. As a result, it’s best to plan for several hours where engaging in those types of tasks isn’t necessary.
At ECVA, the safety and health of our patient’s eyes are our priority. If you would like to learn more about dilation eye exams or haven’t seen your eye care provider in the past year, the ECVA team is here to help. Schedule an appointment at your closest ECVA clinic today.
Laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis – also known as LASIK – is a popular outpatient procedure for treating nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. Millions of people have chosen to use LASIK to correct their vision, allowing them to see more clearly without glasses or contact lenses.
However, while LASIK has been around for decades, many people wonder, is LASIK surgery safe? While the procedure has an excellent track record overall, as with all surgical procedures, there are risks. Here’s what you need to know.
LASIK and Patient Outcomes
Overall, LASIK is one of the most studied elective surgeries, with ample data being collected about patient outcomes, satisfaction rates, and more. Overall, patient satisfaction reached 98 percent in a recent study, with nearly all patients achieving 20/40 vision and over 90 percent reaching 20/20.
Additionally, safety procedures surrounding LASIK surgery have also improved over the years. Eye care providers are far more stringent regarding patient selection, ensuring those who potentially undergo the procedure and legitimately good candidates. Further, processes for optimizing the approach to the patient have also advanced, leading to better results.
However, that doesn’t mean side effects aren’t possible, including some that can significantly impact visual acuity or quality of life. While they’re broadly considered rare, patients should be aware of these potential outcomes, allowing them to make wise choices about their future and health.
Potential Side Effects of LASIK
The potential side effects of LASIK range from mildly inconvenient to highly impactful to daily life. Some of the more common adverse outcomes are fairly simple and generally easy to manage. For example, dry eyes can occur, which may make eye drops or similar treatment options a must long-term. Glare, halos, and diminished night vision also happen, though the degree can vary.
With those side effects, they may be temporary or long-term. The healing process after LASIK can take up to a year, so some patients might initially struggle with issues like dry eye only to see the problem diminish over the coming weeks or months. However, others may experience the issue permanently.
When it comes to more serious side effects, eye infections, vision loss, retinal detachment, and chronic pain may all occur. Overall, these outcomes aren’t common, particularly among those without certain risk factors, like a pre-existing autoimmune condition, persistent dry eyes, or certain kinds of inflammation. However, if they do occur, the impact may be irreversible.
Since there are risks to LASIK, choosing an eye care provider you trust to handle the procedure is essential. Seek out an experienced surgeon, ask questions about outcomes, and ensure you’re fully apprised of the possible results, both positive and negative. By doing so, you can make wiser decisions about your vision and health, ensuring you don’t move forward only partially informed and feel confident about your odds of an excellent outcome.
At ECVA, the safety and health of our patient’s eyes are our priority. If you are considering LASIK surgery or simply haven’t seen your eye care provider in the past year, the ECVA team is here to help. Schedule an appointment at your closest ECVA clinic today.
Many people know that vision changes can occur at any time. However, if your vision is declining year after year or suddenly takes a turn for the worst, you may wonder why it’s happening.
Here is a look at common reasons for declining vision, as well as the symptoms you may experience.
Aging
As people age, their visual acuity typically decreases, especially when it comes to near-vision. Often, this process is unavoidable. Additionally, it’s normal for vision to decline further as time passes.
Often, age-related vision changes begin around middle age, commonly among adults over 40. During that time, presbyopia – a loss of lens flexibility – can alter visual acuity, particularly when viewing nearby objects. However, some may not see shifts until they’re far beyond 40, while others may see these changes begin earlier.
Usually, the most common symptoms of age-related changes are trouble reading small print, fatigue after reading, holding items farther away to read, needing brighter light, and squinting.
Injury
An eye injury can lead to a range of physical changes that may impact your vision. If the optic nerve is damaged, it can cause significant vision loss. Similarly, an injury-related retinal detachment may cause a rise in the number of floaters, bright light flashes, and blurriness.
Eye injuries can also cause other kinds of damage, many of which require quick treatment to prevent or reduce vision loss. Since that’s the case, fast action is always recommended, including seeing your eye health provider for an immediate assessment.
UV Damage
UV light harms the eyes, potentially leading to vision changes. Often, the damage begins during childhood, a period when most people aren’t as cautious when it comes to eye health. However, it may not be apparent until adulthood. Additionally, choices as an adult also influence the equation.
In most cases, UV damage leads to blurriness. Eye pain, redness, and light sensitivity are also symptoms you may experience.
Eye Strain
Due to the rise of digital devices, eye strain is surprisingly common, and it can lead to certain vision changes. When people view screens, they tend to blink less. Additionally, they’re keeping their focus on a specific distance.
In most cases, tiredness or fatigue is the most apparent symptom, coupled with dry, itchy, or burning eyes. However, you may experience headaches, light sensitivity, and soreness, too.
Cataracts
Technically, cataracts are another age-related reason for vision decline. As proteins in the lens break down, they can cloud the lens, leading to blurry vision.
Along with being very common, cataracts are typically incredibly treatable, particularly when caught early. Some signs of cataracts include blurriness, glare, halos, and faded or yellowed colors.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a condition involving elevated pressure in the eye, leading to damage to the optic nerve. As the damage occurs, peripheral vision typically declines first. Blurriness and halos may also develop, as well as trouble seeing in low-light conditions.
In some cases, glaucoma is also accompanied by pain. However, that isn’t always the case.
Since vision changes are potentially caused by a range of conditions, including some severe problems that can lead to permanent vision loss, it’s best to see your eye health provider whenever you notice a shift. Additionally, attending your annual appointments ensures your provider can monitor your eye health and take quick action should they spot an issue that’s yet to result in symptoms.
At ECVA, the safety and health of our patient’s eyes are our priority. If you are experiencing vision changes or simply haven’t seen your eye care provider in the past year, the ECVA team is here to help. Schedule an appointment at your closest ECVA clinic today.
When it comes to vision problems, refractive errors are the most common ones that people experience. With these, the shape of the eye or its ability to focus light changes, causing different kinds of visual acuity issues or visual anomalies.
Since refractive errors are so common, it’s wise to understand what they are and how they impact vision. Here’s a look at the three most prominent refractive issues causing vision problems.
Three Common Vision Problems
Myopia
Also called nearsightedness, myopia is a condition where close-up vision remains reasonably strong, but objects far away look blurrier than they should. The condition develops when changes to the shape of the eye alter where light is focused in the eye, causing it to concentrate in front of the retina instead of on it.
Usually, the most obvious symptom of myopia is issues with long-distance vision. However, needing to squint to see clearly and eye strain can both be symptoms. The same goes for headaches, though those aren’t as common as with certain other refractive errors.
Hyperopia
Hyperopia – also called farsightedness – is a condition where close-up vision degrades while distance vision remains intact. It occurs when changes in the shape of the eye cause light to focus behind the retina instead of on it.
With hyperopia, trouble seeing objects up close is the most definitive symptom of the condition. However, eye strain and headaches, particularly when reading or doing other up-close activities, can also be signs of farsightedness.
Astigmatism
Astigmatism is a condition where the cornea or lens of the eye change shape. Usually, this leads to visual distortions or blurriness, depending on the nature of the changes. Often the distortions are particularly noticeable when looking at a light at night, such as oncoming vehicle headlights after dark. The lights may look streaky, starred, or haloed, depending on the nature of the eye changes.
Blurry vision is another common sign of astigmatism, as well as needing to squint to see clearly. Trouble seeing at night may also be a symptom, along with eye strain and headaches.
It’s important to note that a person can have myopia or hyperopia and astigmatism. That means it’s possible to have two refractive errors impacting your vision.
Treating Refractive Errors
Refractive errors are traditionally treated with corrective lenses. This can include prescription glasses or contacts. With those, the lens can compensate for the changes in the eye that lead to the vision change, allowing a person to see clearly when wearing their glasses or contacts.
In some cases, alternative vision correction options – like laser eye surgery – may also be an option. However, that will depend on the severity of the vision loss, whether your vision is stable or continuing to change, and certain other factors.
At ECVA, the safety and health of our patient’s eyes are our priority. If you have signs or symptoms of a refractive error or simply haven’t seen your eye care provider in the past year, the ECVA team is here to help. Schedule an appointment at your closest ECVA clinic today.
The prospect of vision loss is not typically a concern for most people until a decline in visual acuity becomes noticeable. Vision changes typically occur due to aging or an injury. However, there are also preventable factors that contribute to poor vision or diminished eye health as well. Taking inventory of behaviors that put eyes at risk and making important changes can help safeguard the eyes for as long as possible.
Get routine comprehensive wellness exams
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says about 93 million adults in the United States are at risk for vision loss. Factors that contribute to vision loss can include being overweight or obese, diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. A wellness exam also may uncover family history issues that increase risk for hereditary eye conditions.
Receive a dilated vision exam
Many eye diseases, like glaucoma or age-related macular degeneration (AMD), have no warning signs, according to the CDC’s Vision Health Initiative. Thus, the only way to determine if there is an eye health issue or compromised vision is to get a complete vision exam, which includes dilating the pupil to see the retina, blood vessels and other components of the inner eye. This is the only way to detect diseases in their earliest stages.
Step up healthy eating
Many eye-healthy foods are rich in vitamins and minerals. Dark, leafy greens like spinach, kale and collards are good for the eyes, according to the National Eye Institute. In addition, foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, like salmon, halibut, and tuna are also good choices for maintaining eye health, as they lower the risk for dry eyes and eye diseases such as macular degeneration and cataracts.
Sip on green tea
True Eye Experts says green tea is a great source of antioxidants that can keep eyes healthy and defend them from cataracts and AMD.
Wear protective eyewear
Always don sunglasses with UVA and UVB protection when outdoors. Protective eyewear is a must for those who work in an industry that requires eye protection or athletes who play sports in which eye injuries are a consistent threat.
Discard old cosmetics
Exercise caution with outdated eye makeup. Experts suggest discarding mascara that is more than four months old. Avoid applying eyeliner to the inside of the eyelid, as that can lead to irritation or infection.
Practice smart contact hygiene
Always wash hands before inserting or removing contact lenses. Lenses should be stored properly in cleansing solution and discarded after the recommended amount of time for the particular type of lens (daily, bi-weekly, monthly). Unless they are approved for overnight use, remove contacts before going to bed.
Quit smoking (or don’t start)
Smoking increases a person’s risk of developing various eye diseases and can make diabetic eye disease more severe.
It’s never too late to make changes that can preserve vision.
When a person has diabetes, they’re at risk of a debilitating eye condition called diabetic retinopathy. Essentially, elevated blood sugar levels damage blood vessels within the retina, leading to vision issues. Over time, it can even cause significant vision loss, if not blindness.
Like most medical conditions, diabetic retinopathy occurs in phases. By understanding the stages, it’s possible to slow the development, preserving visual acuity. If you’re not familiar with the phase of diabetic retinopathy, here’s what you need to know about them.
The Stages of Diabetic Retinopathy
Mild Nonproliferative Retinopathy
The first stage is mild nonproliferative retinopathy, also referred to as background retinopathy. During this phase, there are microaneurysms (small bulges) in the blood vessels in the retina, some of which may begin to leak.
During this stage, there may be no noticeable vision issues. Additionally, treatment might not be required, depending on severity. However, even if treatment isn’t necessary, it’s wise to take steps to prevent the progression of the condition. Managing blood sugar levels, maintaining healthy blood pressure, and keeping cholesterol in check can all make a difference.
Moderate Nonproliferative Retinopathy
Also called pre-proliferative retinopathy, moderate nonproliferative retinopathy is the second stage of the condition. At this point, blood vessels in the retina are starting to swell, altering their ability to transport blood.
As this occurs, diabetic macular edema (DME) can develop, causing blood and fluid to build up in the macula, a specific part of the retina. As the macula swells, central vision changes typically occur.
Severe Nonproliferative Retinopathy
Severe nonproliferative retinopathy is the third stage of the condition. At this point, blood vessel blockages are more common and severe, preventing blood from properly reaching and moving through the retinas. Scar tissue often begins forming. Additionally, poor blood flow triggers the formation of new blood vessels, some of which may cause issues as they develop.
If blood flow is cut off, macular ischemia occurs. Blurry vision and dark spots are both common symptoms. Also, the odds of serious and permanent vision loss are very high at this stage. While treatment may slow progression, restoring what’s lost often isn’t possible.
Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy
During the fourth stage, new blood vessel growth in the retina and vitreous is increasingly common. That process is called neovascularization, and the resulting vessels are often weak, thin, and prone to bleeding. When bleeding occurs, more scar tissue forms, causing further issues.
When the scar tissue shifts, it can pull the retina away from its position in the eye, resulting in retinal detachment. If that occurs, severe and permanent vision loss often occurs.
Managing Diabetic Retinopathy
If you’re at risk of diabetic retinopathy or are actively in one of the stages, working with an eye care professional is essential. They can monitor your condition and determine if treatments are necessary to slow or prevent the progression of the disease.
At ECVA, the safety and health of our patient’s eyes are our priority. If you have signs or symptoms of diabetic retinopathy, the ECVA team is here to help. Schedule an appointment at your closest ECVA clinic today.
Cataracts are some of the most common eye ailments and affect millions of people all over the globe, especially older folks. For many years, cataracts were treated through traditional surgery, which involves making an incision in the cornea to remove the clouded lens. This treatment is still used to help many cataract patients today.
In recent years, technological advancements in medicine laser allowed a new type of cataract surgery to blossom: laser surgery. This type of blade-free cataract surgery is becoming more and more widely used, and it has several advantages. With that being said, traditional cataract surgery is still performed frequently and is a perfectly safe and viable procedure.
Let’s learn more about what cataracts are and about each type of treatment. Then, we’ll discuss the similarities and differences between traditional and laser cataract surgery to help you decide which method is right for you.
What are Cataracts?
The eye has a lens that helps focus light upon the back of the eye, which sends that signal to the brain for processing. This is the way that our eyes transmit an image to our brain. A cataract occurs when the lens of the eye becomes cloudy, opaque, or discolored. To a person with cataracts, the effect is similar to looking out of a cloudy window. Other symptoms include:
· Seeing halos around lights
· Sensitivity to light or glare
· Poor night vision
· Seeing colors as faded or washed-out
· Double vision
The leading cause of cataracts is simple aging – over time, it’s common for the lens of the eye to get clouded. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), about two in three Americans over the age of 80, and about 30 million Americans in total, have cataracts. There are other possible causes of cataracts, however, including steroid use, eye injury, and exposure to ultraviolet light. Additionally, certain diseases such as diabetes make the development of cataracts more likely. In fact, people over 65 with diabetes are twice as likely to develop cataracts as people of the same age who don’t have diabetes, according to Medical News Today.
How Are Cataracts Treated?
In some cases, treatment for cataracts isn’t necessary, particularly if the problem is only minor and the individual can still go about their daily life without much impairment. But the problem is likely to grow over time, eventually clouding more and more of the eye and affecting vision. If cataracts are left untreated, they can obscure the entire field of vision and cause complete blindness.
Eventually, cataracts will require treatment. And unfortunately, it’s not as simple as taking a pill or putting medicated eye drops into your eyes. Surgery is the best option for removing clouded lenses entirely and helping a patient get back to normal vision. There are two options: traditional cataract surgery and laser-assisted cataract surgery.
Types of Cataract Surgery: Traditional vs. Laser-Assisted
What does traditional cataract surgery involve? How about laser-assisted surgery? Let’s take a closer look at each of these types of cataract surgery options.
Traditional Cataract Surgery
Traditional surgery to remove a cataract involves using a blade to make a tiny incision on the side of the cornea (the lens) and removing the cataract-clouded lens. Then, an artificial lens known as an intraocular lens is inserted to replace the natural lens. Sutures may be used to close the incision, but it’s more common for the incision to be left to heal on its own over time.
How Long Does Traditional Cataract Surgery Take?
Traditional cataract surgery is a very quick procedure – the actual removal of the cataract-clouded lens only takes about 20 minutes or so. And the recovery period is relatively fast, too. Most people are fully healed and back to normal activities within a few days or weeks.
What is Laser-Assisted Cataract Surgery?
Laser surgery to remove a cataract lens utilizes laser technology and 3D imaging. The first step involves the surgeon creating a customized digital plan for the cataract surgery using 3D imaging of the patient’s eye. The process is “mapped” precisely ahead of time.
The procedure involves using an advanced type of laser known as a femtosecond laser to create an opening in the front layer of the lens. The laser breaks up the cloudy lens, and then the lens is suctioned out through small incisions in the patient’s cornea. Next, an intraocular lens replaces the natural lens, just like in traditional cataract surgery.
Differences Between Traditional Cataract Surgery and Laser Cataract Surgery
The result of traditional and laser cataract surgery is the same: removal of the clouded lens and replacement with an artificial one. But there are clear differences between the procedures.
Tools Used
One big difference between these two procedures is in the tools used. With traditional cataract surgery, manual instruments are used – a blade to make an incision in the cornea, and forceps or a suction tool
to remove the lens. In laser surgery, no blades or instruments are used at all. The laser itself makes the incisions and breaks up the clouded lens.
The use of fewer tools in laser cataract surgery adds to the overall safety of the procedure, and many steps in the process are automated and computer-controlled which reduces the risk of complications even further. However, traditional cataract surgery is still a very safe procedure with an extremely low risk of complications or side effects.
Accuracy
Laser cataract surgery uses 3D imaging to create a customized plan for a patient’s cataract removal. And the laser itself allows for very precise incisions and movements. In this way, laser eye surgery for cataracts is overall more accurate and precise than traditional cataract surgery.
Similarities with Traditional and Laser Cataract Surgery
As different as these two types of procedures are, they also share plenty of similarities. Namely, the two types of cataract surgery last the same length of time and are equally safe.
Duration
Whether a surgeon is using manual tools or being assisted by a laser, traditional and laser cataract surgeries are very quick procedures. The removal of the cloudy lens only takes a few minutes – 10 to 20 minutes is the average time, although it can take longer depending on the severity of the cataracts.
Safety
Both types of cataract surgery are extremely safe. It’s one of the most common medical procedures performed by ophthalmologists and eye surgeons. And the procedure is highly effective – according to UCI Health, the success rate is 99 percent.
Schedule a Consultation with the Ophthalmologists at ECVA to Determine Which Cataract Treatment is Right for You
Which cataract treatment is right for you? That depends on the severity of your cataracts, your health history and previous eye surgeries you may have undergone, and the advice of your ophthalmologist and other eye-care professionals. Both types of cataract surgery are used frequently – laser eye surgery for cataracts is generally more precise and may help lessen recovery time, but traditional cataract surgery is a perfectly viable procedure as well.
In the early stages of cataracts, treatment might not be necessary at all. Some patients are aided by different eyeglasses, magnifying glasses, or different and/or stronger lighting. But eventually, cataracts will get worse and start to affect eyesight. At that point or whenever cataracts start to affect a person’s ability to perform normal activities, surgery is usually recommended.
Looking for cataract removal in Buffalo, NY?
If you have signs or symptoms of cataracts, or if you’d like to learn more about this condition and the treatment options available, ECVA can help. The safety and health of our patients’ eyes are our top priority – schedule an appointment at the nearest ECVA clinic today.
