Presbyopia is the condition that forces us to need reading glasses as we age. It occurs when the natural lens loses its flexibility as it grows throughout our lives.
The natural lens changes shape as we look at close objects, providing near vision. It is flexible in youth, much like a balloon that is only filled with a small amount of air. This flexibility decreases with age as the lens fills with more material, similarly to the balloon hardening as it is inflated. Our ability to focus at near starts to diminish in our mid-forties as the lens slowly hardens – a term called presbyopia.
SightTrust Eye Institute offers two vision correction procedures to improve eye strain associated with presbyopia: Cataract Surgery and Refractive Lens Replacement.
A cataract is a clouding of the normally crystal-clear lens, which decreases vision quality. This condition eventually affects both eyes. Everyone usually develops cataracts, which are the leading cause of reversible blindness.
Early symptoms of cataracts may include a continually changing lens prescription; decreased comfort when driving at night; glare, starbursts, and halos around lights; and blurred near vision, especially in dim light. With time, these changes make it increasingly difficult to read even in the brightest lighting conditions. People may give up driving, limit the amount they read, and find it difficult to play sports.
Cataract Surgery and Refractive Lens Replacement are very similar vision correction procedures where the natural lens is replaced with a Premium Intraocular Lenses (IOLs).
The only difference is that cataracts are also removed during cataract surgery.
Through a tiny laser-created opening, Dr. Shatz removes your aging or poorly functioning lens.
Dr. Shatz replaces your original lens with a new, artificial lens customized to your particular vision needs.
With a new lens, you can experience renewed vision at near, intermediate, and distance free from cataracts, for life!
Cataract Surgery is ideal for patients starting in their early 50s and beyond, or for anyone who has been diagnosed with cataracts. The cataract is removed and replaced with an intraocular lens implant (IOL) that can permanently renew your vision. This outpatient procedure takes about 10-15 minutes to perform per eye, requires only eye drops as an anesthetic, and has a quick recovery time.
Individuals who suffer from nearsightedness, farsightedness, and/or presbyopia – even if they do not have cataracts – can take advantage of a procedure that is identical to cataract surgery. Refractive Lens Replacement is ideal for patients in their late 40s and beyond, or for anyone who needs to wear reading glasses. The natural lens is replaced with an intraocular lens implant (IOL) that can permanently refresh your vision. This outpatient procedure takes about 10 minutes to perform per eye, requires only eye drops as an anesthetic, and has a quick recovery time.
With so many amazing IOLs available, Cataract and Refractive Lens Replacement surgery can provide you freedom from glasses at practically every distance! Whether you desire multifocal implants to improve distance, intermediate, and near; monovision to allow one eye to see far and one to see close; or single focus IOLs for distance or near; each IOL is selected to meet your individual vision goals.
Once an IOL is in place, the focus it provides does not change over time. Additionally, unlike the natural lens, the IOL will not cloud up over your lifetime, so once you have had a cataract or Refractive Lens Replacement procedure, you will never develop cataracts or need to repeat this surgery!
Individuals who suffer from nearsightedness, farsightedness, and/or presbyopia – even if they do not have cataracts – can take advantage of a procedure that is identical to cataract surgery. Lens Replacement is ideal for patients in their late 40s and beyond, or for anyone who needs to wear reading glasses.
The natural lens is replaced with an intraocular lens implant (IOL) that can permanently restore your vision. At SightTrust Eye Institute, we offer our patients the option of treating both eyes on the same day, rather than one at a time. This provides a shorter healing time and quicker visual recovery, allowing you to see the best you can the soonest possible!
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A first-of-its-kind premium cataract and intraocular lens surgery center, SightTrust Eye Institute provides customized vision correction plans for patients with or without lens changes, who have hyperopia (farsightedness), myopia (nearsightedness), and astigmatism, using the most advanced technology available in the field. SightTrust was among the first practices to offer laser-assisted cataract surgery and is one of the only centers in the country to exclusively perform laser-assisted lens surgery on every patient.
Dr. Andrew Shatz is a pioneer in bilateral same-day cataract and lens surgery – treating both eyes with separate procedures on the same day, having been performing this technique for over a decade. Over 95% of our patients choose this option, that has both proven to be safe and improves recovery time, getting you back to your activities even faster!
Dr. Shatz has performed more than 30,000 intraocular procedures, he is considered the Southeast’s Leading implanter of the PanOptix Trifocal® and Visian phakic premium lenses. He is also one of the first and only surgeons in the country to perform all cataract and lens replacement procedures using the femtosecond laser, and performs bilateral, same-day surgeries on most of his patients.
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