Cataracts are a cloudiness that develops within the eye’s natural lens. Vision becomes increasingly blurry and dim. Cataracts usually progress slowly, and it may be several years before they seriously affect vision.

About the size of an aspirin, your eye’s lens is located directly behind the pupil—the dark center of the eye. The lens is made of clear gel-like material covered by a thin, transparent capsule—like a plastic bag. The lens helps focus light rays entering the eye.

Cataracts are most often the result of a chemical breakdown that simply happens over time. By age 65, 90% of people have cataracts—although they may not notice decreased vision right away. Cataracts can also form as the result of an eye injury, birth defect, disease, radiation, use of certain medications and exposure to some toxic chemicals.

No. But wearing proper sunglasses, eating a healthy diet, and not smoking may delay cataracts and slow their progression.

During a routine eye exam, your optometric physician will usually see cloudiness beginning to form within the lens—even before you notice any changes in vision. When cataracts begin to interfere with daily life, your eye doctor will discuss the option of surgical correction.

As a cataract begins to develop, the eye can become nearsighted. Prescription changes in your glasses may help until the cataract worsens. Then, if you want good clear vision again, the only option is surgery to remove and replace the lens.

Surgery is recommended when decreased vision from a cataract causes daily frustration and is no longer working for you. Your optometric physician can help you decide when the time is right.

No. Years ago, people were encouraged to wait for surgery until their cataracts were fully developed. Today, it’s considered easier on the eye and better for vision to remove cataracts earlier instead of later.

Cataract surgery is considered one of the safest surgeries. Our surgeons successfully improve vision for more than 99% of patients.

Exams and tests before surgery will provide a good idea of what your vision may be like after treatment. If your eyes are healthy, cataract surgery will likely restore good vision. However, if you have retinal problems or other eye conditions, treatment may only improve your vision, not restore it.

The eye’s clouded lens is gently removed with ultrasound technology and replaced with an artificial lens implant. With our surgeons’ skill and experience, the procedure usually takes less than 20 minutes.

Yes. If diabetes is controlled, surgery usually isn’t a problem. If you have glaucoma, an extra procedure can sometimes be done during cataract surgery to help control your condition.

No. If you need surgery in both eyes, treatment will be scheduled at different times. The treated eye will be closed for a few hours after surgery, and we want you to be able to see with the other eye.

Some people live with cataracts for years. As their vision dims, they adjust their lifestyles and stop doing certain things. If you choose to put up with decreased vision, you may need to:

• Limit or stop driving at night
• Use stronger glasses
• Read large-print books
• Use brighter light bulbs
• Wear sunglasses outdoors to minimize glare
• Get help with medications to avoid mistakes
• Use handrails or other aids to prevent falls

Although the actual procedure usually takes less than 20 minutes, please plan to be in our office for at least an hour and a half.

You may have had a recent eye exam by your family eye doctor. But before surgery, one of our doctors will dilate and examine your eye to evaluate its health and readiness for the procedure. Several tests will also help us estimate what your vision may be like after surgery and determine which lens implant may best meet your needs.

Before COVID-19, family or friends could be close by in a comfortable viewing room separated from the surgery suite by a glass wall. A hostess explained to them what was happening as the surgery was magnified on a TV monitor. We look forward to being able to offer this again when the virus is under control.

No. Most people do not need to stop any of the medications they’re already taking for other conditions. We’ll tell you if a change is needed.

Yes. We encourage you to eat a light breakfast or lunch before the procedure.

Since the area around your eye will be carefully wiped with a sterile solution, we ask that you not wear eye make-up the day of treatment. You may use hairspray.

Wear clean, comfortable street clothing.

No. Before surgery, the eye is numbed with anesthetic--either by injection in the tissue around the eye or topical anesthetic eye drops. While some discomfort is possible, our skilled providers are usually successful in keeping it to a minimum.

If you’re particularly nervous or anxious, our nurse can give you medication to help you relax. But most people don’t need anything.

After relaxing a few minutes, you’ll walk into the surgery suite and sit in a reclining chair. The area around your eye will be draped for surgery and a natural tear-like solution will be gently placed on your eye to keep it from drying out during the procedure.

Kindly tell the surgeon so he or she can be prepared. If you have a ticklish throat, tell the nurse before your treatment. She or he can give you something to suppress your cough.

Your face and unoperated eye will be covered, so you’ll only see the bright light of the microscope, and glimpse hand movements and shadows during surgery. You’ll hear the hum of the ultrasound instrument and may feel the surgeon’s hands resting on your forehead.

It’s a tiny artificial lens that’s carefully positioned inside the eye to replace the clouded lens, which is removed in cataract surgery. Lens implants are made in a large range of focusing powers to fit each person’s eye.

Cataract surgery removes your eye’s natural lens, which accounts for about 40% of the eye’s focusing power. Without a replacement lens, you would be virtually blind and would see only light and shadows. The lens implant replaces the focusing power of your original lens—as well as much of the correction in your glasses.

No. We offer several options to fit different lifestyles:

• PREMIUM VISION 
  For those who prefer not to wear glasses for most activities, several premium options enable us to optimize visual outcome. These may include bifocal, trifocal, multifocal and continuous-focus lens implants, astigmatism correction, high-tech imaging, and use of precision lasers.
• STANDARD VISION 
  This includes a standard singefocus lens implant that is set to give natural vision at one distance—near or far. But glasses are needed for other distances.

Yes. Special implants are available to correct astigmatism. Other surgery options are also available.

Yes. Lens implants provide UV protection from potentially damaging sunlight.

No. Your eyelid is simply taped closed for several hours until the anesthesia wears off. This prevents your eye from opening and getting dry until you’re able to blink again.

You’ll be able to walk out of the surgical suite. After relaxing for a few minutes and getting instructions from our staff, you can go home. There may be some mild discomfort or a little achy feeling.

Vision after cataract surgery varies from person to person and even from one eye to the other. Soon after your operation, you may see noticeable improvement or your vision may be fuzzy. Both can be normal. Because it takes time for the eye to heal, it could be a few days before your vision clears.

It’s not safe to drive home after surgery. Also, if you’re scheduled for a follow-up examination the next day, plan to have someone drive you. You may drive as soon as you’re able to see clearly and are comfortable with your new vision.

You’ll want to take things a little easy for a day or two. But you may resume most normal activities as soon as your eye is open and working well. You can bend over and exercise, but avoid such strenuous activities as heavy lifting (25 lbs. or more) or high-impact exercise for perhaps five to seven days.

Yes. There are a few things that we’ll ask you to avoid for a week, including rubbing your eye, swimming, hot tubs and water sports.

After-surgery care can vary, but follow-up exams are typically scheduled:

• The next day
• One week after surgery
• Four to six weeks after surgery

It’s very important that you keep all your follow-up appointments. During these visits, the doctor will check your eyes to make sure they’re working properly and that there’s no sign of infection. When your eye has healed and stabilized, your optometric physician will prescribe a new lens for your glasses, if necessary.

If there are no other eye problems, cataract surgery for the second eye can be scheduled within a week or so of the first eye—and sometimes sooner.

No. However, in the months and years after surgery, up to 35% of patients have some reduction in vision as cells grow across the back of the clear capsular bag that holds the lens implant. Vision becomes fuzzy and dim much like it was with a cataract. This cloudiness is sometimes called a secondary cataract because symptoms mimic those of cataracts. The condition is easily treated with a laser. In one short office visit, painless bursts of laser light create a small opening in the cloudy capsule to restore clear vision.

Without insurance, the amount paid depends on several factors, including the type of lens implant selected. The cost of cataract surgery for someone without Medicare or private medical insurance ranges from approximately $4000 to $7500 per eye. Thankfully, most patients are covered by some form of medical insurance. We’re happy to give you an estimate.

Yes. If you wish to use glasses as little as possible, and choose a type of lens implant designed to do this, there is an extra cost that is not covered by insurance.

No. Our fees are lower than many providers and facilities. The price of cataract surgery often differs a lot, even within the same community. Fees can vary by more than 300% depending on the type of facility. Hospital outpatient departments are usually the most expensive. Free-standing eye surgery centers (like ours) are usually the least expensive.

We are happy to bill your insurance. For uncovered services, we accept cash, checks and all major credit cards including Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express and CareCredit.

Yes, based on approved credit, payments can be made over 6 months with no interest. If you need more time, monthly payments with longer terms are available through CareCredit. Click here to apply or call CareCredit at 800-365-8295 at least a week before surgery. When asked for the business name or doctor's last name, enter or say Pacific Cataract and Laser Institute.