Cataract is extracted.
Phaco
IOL in place.

At Larson Eye Center, our highly skilled cataract surgeons utilize the latest advances in vision correction technology to provide cataracts patients with better vision after surgery.Dr. Larson,Dr. Sarkos and Dr. Saxe, are able to remove cataracts and replace damaged lenses with revolutionary new lens implants. Before you inquire about cataract surgery please feel free to read through our website that discusses the difference between standard monofocal cataract lenses and premium multifocal lens implants. Larson Eye Center uses new intraocular lenses, such as Crystalens HD®, Alcon’s ReStor and Alcon’s Toric lens to perform cataract surgery for patients of the Chicago Illinois area.

Cataract Surgery Procedure

Cataract surgery is an outpatient procedure performed at one of our surgical centers that takes less than one hour to perform. Patients will need to make sure that someone is present to drive them to and from the surgery.

When the cataract procedure starts, eye drops will be placed on your eye to dilate the pupil. Topical anesthetics are administered to the eye and then the patient is given a mild sedative to relax. Cataract surgery does not require general anesthesia. Many people think that cataract surgery is done with a laser but this is incorrect and has never been the case. Instead the surgery is done with a process known as Phacoemulsification (fak-o-e-mul-sih-fih-KA-shun).

Next, an incision of 2.5 to 3 millimeters in length is then created at the junction of the cornea (the clear domed structure on the front of the eye) and the sclera (the white part of the eye).

Another dose of anesthetic is then administered inside the eye through this incision. The front part of the lens envelope, know as the lens capsule, is carefully opened so that the lens material can be removed. This is accomplished using a needle-like ultrasonic device, which pulverizes the hardened and yellowed lens proteins. The pulverized material is simultaneously vacuumed from the eye.

Once all of the cataract material has been removed, and assuming that the lens capsule which was opened at the beginning of the surgery remains strong enough to support the lens implant, a folded intraocular lens specifically chosen by your surgeon to suit your individual needs is then inserted through the original incision and maneuvered into the lens capsule and then centered. The lens will remain inside your eye in this location without moving. Intraocular lenses cannot be felt or sensed in any way by the patient.

Under normal circumstances stitches (or sutures) are not required to keep the incision sealed. Should the incision require a suture to be placed for proper sealing, this suture is generally removed within the first week following surgery.

After The Cataract Surgery Procedure

With phacoemulsification and foldable lens implants, surgical incisions are very small, and sutures are not typically necessary. Your vision will actually start to improve within a few days. Patients may encounter itching or slight discomfort for several days after the surgery, but it is critical to avoid rubbing or bumping the eyes. You may wear an eye patch or protective shield the day of surgery. Additionally the doctors at Larson Eye Center will prescribe eye drops or other medication to prevent infection and control eye pressure. After a couple of days, all discomfort should disappear.