Cataract Surgery in the Elderly

By Jeffrey Martin, MD

Published on April 21, 2010

Cataract surgery has been one of the most successful outpatient procedures of the last decade. These days, cataract surgery is performed through a small incision without stitches, needles around the eyes or stitches. A cataract is a clouding of the natural crystalline lens of the eye. When the vision becomes affected enough to hamper quality of life, Dr. Jeffrey Martin, Assistant Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology in Smithtown, New York, considers cataract surgery. Cataract surgery is elective and in most cases, patients can delay surgery until they feel as though they need it. Dr. Martin has his patients come in the day of surgery. We deliver some sedation through an IV and the surgery is finished in a few minutes in most cases. Patients are able to see right away and are usually very comfortable.

In the majority of treatment for the elderly population, we perform cataract surgery using current, safe techniques. During cataract surgery on older patients, Dr. Martin uses a cataract removal technique that is very gentle on the eye. This is important because many of these patients have more fragile tissue. By using certain phacoemulsification techniques, elderly patients are likely to get the same excellent results as anyone else.