Restore clarity and brightness to your vision with SHARPEVISION: the new standard in laser cataract removal surgery. Safer, gentler, and highly customizable- quite simply, this is the best technology in the world.
This is not your parents’ cataract surgery: laser-assisted cataract extraction with multifocal intra-ocular lenses make it so there are no needles, no blades, and potentially NO glasses afterward. This is the future of cataract treatment.
Laser-assisted cataract surgery is a precise treatment that’s highly customized to each patient. The method allows for little to no discomfort during surgery and a more rapid recovery. Patients will experience a gentler cataract removal versus traditional techiques, reduced inflammation, and the potential for a reduced need for glasses or contacts after surgery.
One size does not fit all. There are different options for you to choose from when it comes to your replacement lens. Dr. Lancaster will help you determine the best option for you based on your anatomy, expectations, and lifestyle. Cataract surgery pricing can also be confusing. We will walk you through the process and help you fully understand the costs, including what your insurance will and won’t cover, so you can make a confident, informed decision.
The only way to know for certain if you have a cataract is to have a comprehensive eye exam. Our highly-experienced doctors can detect early signs of a cataract by looking at the lens of your eye. If a cataract is impeding your vision, the only way to restore it is to remove and replace the cloudy lens. With over 100,000 successful cataract surgeries performed, SharpeVision surgeons take cataract surgery to a new level.
A cataract is diagnosed when the lens of the eye is cloudy. Much like a dirty window, a cloudy lens is difficult to see through. As cataracts progress, it becomes increasingly hard to see and do the things you enjoy. If left untreated, cataracts can result in eventual blindness. Cataract surgery quickly and painlessly replaces the cloudy lens with a new lens implant. Cataracts can affect one or both eyes and are a normal part of aging. If you live long enough, you will likely have cataracts to some degree. But factors such as smoking, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, and sun exposure can speed up the clouding of the lens of your eye.
A comprehensive, dilated examination is the only way to know which vision-correction procedure is best for you. While your exam involves comprehensive diagnostic testing, it is also our opportunity to learn more about you, your expectations, and your lifestyle. All of these factors play an important role in recommending the best procedure for you:
The complete exam can take up to 90 minutes. After all the data is collected, our doctor will examine you, discuss the treatment recommendation, and answer any questions you have. Your visit will include dilation of your pupils, which will affect your eyesight for about 4-6 hours, as you may have experienced with a routine eye exam.
Dr. Lancaster and his team will discuss various lens implant options that may eliminate glasses after cataract surgery. Your doctor will also prescribe anti-inflammatory and antibiotic eye drops that reduce swelling and the risk of infection. We’ll provide specific instructions on how to use them after surgery. Your surgery will be performed in an outpatient surgery center. When you arrive, you will be checked in and asked to sign an informed consent document. You will be taken to a room and given drops to prepare your eye for the surgery. You will be given an IV with medicine that will help you relax. Most people feel sleepy during the procedure.
Because every eye varies in size and shape, CATALYSTM ’ advanced 3D imaging builds a 3D map of each eye and tailors the treatment to that map. This mapping technology allows your doctor to create a customized treatment plan that matches the uniqueness of each eye.
During the procedure, eye drops are used to completely numb the eye—no needles are used at all. Your surgeon then uses the CATALYSTM laser to create a circular opening for accessing and removing the cataract. This opening is about 10 times more accurate when performed with CATALYSTM than what is achieved by hand. CATALYSTM then softens and breaks up the hard cataract for a gentler, safer, and easier cataract removal.
After your surgery, you will spend a short period of time resting in the outpatient recovery area before you are ready to be driven home. You should expect to have blurry vision and mild soreness after the procedure, but you will be able to see your doctor the very next day at SharpeVision Austin.
Depending on your pre-operative vision and desired visual result, your doctor may recommend a tailored treatment plan that could include creating ultra-precise laser incisions in the cornea and a specific clear lens type, such as a multi-focal lens. This tailored treatment may reduce your need for glasses or contacts after surgery
Dr. Nicholas Lancaster utilizes the most sophisticated and advanced technology in Intraocular lenses (IOL).
Could cataract surgery be right for you? There are some conditions that could exclude certain patients. Take our quick and easy candidate quiz to find out if cataract surgery could be your vision correction solution.
No, the laser can’t burn a hole in your eye. But it’s a good question! Find the answers to our most frequently asked questions at SharpeVision Modern Cataract. Some of them may surprise you!
Of course there are risks associated with every kind of surgery, and laser vision correction is no exception. To put it in perspective, however, the risk of laser vision correction is significantly less than the risks of wearing contact lenses. Yes, you read that correctly. The conclusion of a 2016 article from the academic journal Ophthalmology stated: “Compared with contact lens wear, current LASIK technology improved ease of night driving, did not significantly increase dry eye symptoms, and resulted in higher levels of satisfaction at 1, 2, and 3 years follow-up.” Price MO et al. Ophthalmology. 2016;123(8):1659-1666.
If your vision is worse after LASIK or PRK than it was before with glasses or contacts, it’s almost always due to dry eyes or residual prescription. Both of these are fixable with time (for dry eyes which is almost always the cause of foggy vision for a month or more after LASIK) or with additional laser to touch it up (which is necessary approximately 1% of the time and free for the first year after surgery).
Most insurance/vision plans do not pay towards LASIK or PRK, but we do honor the discount from EyeMed, VSP, and Davis, so that if you’re a member, your out of pocket expense will be the same. Always check with your insurance carrier or health benefits administrator before coming in for your exam. A few forward-thinking companies are currently paying for some or all of their employees’ LASIK, PRK, and ICL including The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Adaptive Biotech, and Zillow in Seattle.
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