Cataract Surgery Results
Cataract surgery effectively treats over 3 million Americans each year. According to the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS), the procedure boasts an exceptionally high success rate, with 98% of patients experiencing positive results. In the vast majority of cases, cataract surgery results in remarkable improvement in vision, and a high level of patient satisfaction. Following the cataract surgery procedure, during which the eye's clouded natural lens is removed and replaced with an artificial intraocular lens (IOL), patients will be able to:
- Bring objects into focus
- Notice crisper, clearer eyesight
- Look at bright lights, such as streetlights or lamps, without glare
- See colors more vividly
- Enjoy reading, watching TV, and using the computer without straining the eyes
- Drive at night without dim or blurry vision
Some patients experience remarkably clearer vision within hours of their cataract surgery, although it may take several days for others to notice their sight improving. Either way, the majority of patients find that cataract surgery results in an improvement in visual acuity that increases their quality of life.
Results Achieved With Monofocal IOLs
The ASCRS reports that 95% of patients who are implanted with a monofocal IOL have their vision fully restored to its pre-cataract state. However, the majority of patients who choose this type of lens will need reading glasses in order to realize the full benefits of the procedure.
Results Achieved With Multifocal and Accommodating IOLs
Because these premier lenses maintain the eye's ability to focus naturally, and can be tailored to treat other conditions such as astigmatism and presbyopia, patients who choose multifocal or accommodating lenses may achieve clearer vision than they had prior to cataracts. Although the need for additional correction is reduced, some patients may require reading glasses until their eyes adjust to focusing with the new lenses.
Vision Correction after Cataract Surgery
Although the procedure is remarkably successful in restoring visual clarity, often cataract surgery results in the need for reading glasses while performing close tasks. According to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, 95% of patients who have a monofocal lens placed in both eyes will require additional vision correction, compared with 68% of patients placed with multifocal or accommodating lenses.
- When monofocal IOLs are placed in both eyes, cataract surgery results in good distance vision; however, reading glasses are necessary to correct resulting nearsightedness.
- When multifocal or accommodating IOLs are used, the eye maintains the ability to naturally shift its focus from near to distant objects, which is why some patients who have been fitted with these lenses do not require additional vision correction.
Secondary Cataracts
Once the clouded lens of the eye has been replaced with an artificial IOL, cataracts cannot recur. However, the back of the eye's lens capsule, which is left intact during surgery to serve as an anchor for the IOL, may become clouded in a condition known as posterior lens opacification. Also referred to as secondary cataracts, clouded lens capsules are treated with a quick and painless outpatient procedure known as a YAG capsulotomy, which uses laser energy to create a hole in the clouded lens, allowing light to pass through.
Contact a Cataract Surgeon
For the vast majority of patients, cataract surgery results in remarkably clearer vision. Reclaim your sight by contacting an experienced cataract surgeon in your area today.
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