Cataracts
occur as part of the normal aging process. If you are experiencing
one or more of the above symptoms, you may have a cataract.
Approximately 21 million American adults have cataracts. The
Board Certified Physicians at Southwest Michigan Eye Center
can educate you on how cataracts can alter your vision.
What
are Cataracts?
A cataract is defined as a clouding of the lens of the eye,
which results in blurry vision. A cataract forms when protein
in the lens begins to clump together and blocks the light
entry to the eye. Over time this worsens to cause a significant
impairment. Eventually, the cataract will need to be removed
from the eye with eye surgery.
Cataracts can occur in one or both eyes and develop in one
of the following four ways:
Age-related
- More than 50% of all Americans over the age of 65 have
cataracts
Congenital
- Cataracts can form at birth or in early childhood
Secondary
- Steroid use or health conditions such as diabetes can
increase the risk of developing cataracts
Traumatic
- Eye injuries can lead to the formation of cataracts, either
directly following the injury or years later
Types
of Cataracts
There are three main types of cataracts, each defined by their
location on the lens:
Nuclear
- this type of cataract is located in the center of the
lens and is usually the result of advancing age
Cortical
- this type of cataract resembles the spokes of a wheel
which extend from the outside of the lens to the center
and is often associated with patients who suffer from diabetes
Subcapsular
- this type of cataract develops at the back of the
lens under the capsule and is often associated with patients
who take steroids or who suffer from diabetes
How
are Cataracts Diagnosed?
Cataracts
can be detected with a full optical examination including:
Pupil
dilation - dilation of the pupils allows the ophthalmologist
to examine the lens
Visual
acuity - this is an eye chart test that measures your
eyesight at different distances
Learn
how our No Shot, No Stitch surgery technology can remove cataracts
and restore your vision promptly! The physicians at Southwest
Michigan Eye Center offer “refractive cataract surgery”
including techniques to help reduce post-operative astigmatism.
In addition, an array of Intraocular Lens Implants (IOL’s)
are offered with the following qualities:
“Blue
filtering” lenses that protect the retina from harmful
UV light rays and age changes
Aspheric
lenses are designed to reduce sperical aberrations of the cornea for improved vision in low lighting conditions.
Certain
patients may qualify to use Multifocal IOL’s that
have both a distance and near correction.
Convenient Surgery
Southwest Michigan Eye Center utilizes Brookside Surgery Center which is located in the lower level of Brookside Medical Center. The 11,000 square foot state of the art ambulatory surgery center houses 3 major operating rooms and 2 minor procedure rooms.
The Brookside Office Park is situated on 40 acres, where leading medical professionals are in the business of health.
With the new ReSTOR lens, up to 80% of cataract patients can see well without
any glasses at any distance. The new Aspheric ReSTOR IOL is designed to improve clarity of distance vision through the reduction of sperical aberrations in low lighting conditiond. The AcrySof TORIC IOL is designed to treat astigmatism during cataract surgery using a special implant.
See the big picture without missing the details
There was a time when cataract surgery could only restore a patient’s distance vision. But today, thanks to the breakthrough AcrySof® ReSTOR® intraocular lens (IOL), we can help you enjoy crisp, clear, glasses-free vision from near to far.
How does the AcrySof® ReSTOR® lens work?
The AcrySof® ReSTOR® lens is a breakthrough because it corrects cataracts with or without presbyopia. Presbyopia is the reason many patients need reading glasses as their eyes age. In fact, 4 out of 5 patients in the supporting clinical study who had the AcrySof® ReSTOR® lens in both eyes reported never having to wear glasses.
The AcrySof® ReSTOR® lens is also a breakthrough because, unlike traditional monofocal IOLs, it’s a multifocal IOL, designed to restore your full range of vision, from the pages of a book, to your computer screen, to scenic landscapes. As the name implies, monofocal lenses can only give you clear distance vision–you still need reading glasses.
The leading choice for cataracts and astigmatism
If you have astigmatism and cataracts, we may recommend another advanced lens called the AcrySof® Toric lens. It’s the first IOL that treats preexisting astigmatism at the same time it corrects cataracts, so you don’t have to undergo two separate procedures. You will also enjoy improved quality distance vision.
Life-changing results in minutes
Whichever IOL you choose, rest assured cataract surgery is one of the safest and most effective procedures performed today. We simply make a tiny incision in your eye, remove its natural clouded lens, and replace it with a new lens. The actual surgery can take minutes and the results are permanent and life changing. Most patients are back to their normal activity the very next day. Your eye doctor will implant the lens in one eye, then schedule an appointment for your second eye–usually a week later.
Both the AcrySof® ReSTOR® lens and the AcrySof® Toric lens are developed by Alcon, the world’s leader in lenses for cataract surgery. The Alcon family of lenses is the most widely used brand: more than 25 million have been implanted worldwide.
We’re proud to offer AcrySof® lenses as part of our ongoing commitment to patients who want the latest advances, the best vision, and the highest quality of life.
The ReZoom Multifocal Lens is designed for people with generally healthy eyes who want good vision near, far and in between without depending on glasses in most situations. 92% of people who have benefited from the technology used in ReZoom Multifical Lenses, report wearing glasses either never or occaisionally.
See the big picture without missing the details
There was a time when cataract surgery could only restore a patient’s distance vision. But today, thanks to the breakthrough AcrySof® ReSTOR® intraocular lens (IOL), we can help you enjoy crisp, clear, glasses-free vision from near to far.
How does the AcrySof® ReSTOR® lens work?
The AcrySof® ReSTOR® lens is a breakthrough because it corrects cataracts with or without presbyopia. Presbyopia is the reason many patients need reading glasses as their eyes age. In fact, 4 out of 5 patients in the supporting clinical study who had the AcrySof® ReSTOR® lens in both eyes reported never having to wear glasses.
The AcrySof® ReSTOR® lens is also a breakthrough because, unlike traditional monofocal IOLs, it’s a multifocal IOL, designed to restore your full range of vision, from the pages of a book, to your computer screen, to scenic landscapes. As the name implies, monofocal lenses can only give you clear distance vision–you still need reading glasses.
The leading choice for cataracts and astigmatism
If you have astigmatism and cataracts, we may recommend another advanced lens called the AcrySof® Toric lens. It’s the first IOL that treats preexisting astigmatism at the same time it corrects cataracts, so you don’t have to undergo two separate procedures. You will also enjoy improved quality distance vision.
Life-changing results in minutes
Whichever IOL you choose, rest assured cataract surgery is one of the safest and most effective procedures performed today. We simply make a tiny incision in your eye, remove its natural clouded lens, and replace it with a new lens. The actual surgery can take minutes and the results are permanent and life changing. Most patients are back to their normal activity the very next day. Your eye doctor will implant the lens in one eye, then schedule an appointment for your second eye–usually a week later.
Both the AcrySof® ReSTOR® lens and the AcrySof® Toric lens are developed by Alcon, the world’s leader in lenses for cataract surgery. The Alcon family of lenses is the most widely used brand: more than 25 million have been implanted worldwide.
We’re proud to offer AcrySof® lenses as part of our ongoing commitment to patients who want the latest advances, the best vision, and the highest quality of life.
ReZoom Your View of Life
With the ReZoomTM Multifocal IOL
"Thanks to the latest advancements in multifocal lens implant technology,
cataract surgery not only allows you to ReZoom life, it may allow you to
'see young again."
How Age Affects Vision
As we age, beginning around the age of 40, the natural lens inside the eye begins to harden and lose its flexibility. This reduces the eye’s ability to change its focus from near to intermediate, to distance, and back again. This is known as “loss of accommodation” or “presbyopia,” and its earliest symptom is difficulty seeing things up close. Bifocal and even trifocal glasses become necessary for some people to see clearly at all distances.
As the natural lens of the eye continues to deteriorate, it starts to become cloudy or brown. Vision becomes blurry, and colors lose their brilliance. At first, frequent changes in glasses prescriptions can help, but left untreated, cataracts can lead to blindness. The only way to see clearly after a cataract matures is to have it removed and then replaced with an intraocular lens, or IOL.
The ReZoom™ Multifocal Lens
Full Range of Vision and Greater Independence from Glasses and Contact Lenses
Monofocal IOL
ReZOOM™ Multifocal Lens
Until recently, patients undergoing lens implant surgery received a monofocal, or single focus IOL. Monofocal IOLs implanted in both eyes generally provide excellent distance vision, while patients often need spectacle correction for near and intermediate vision. In the late 1990s, Advanced Medical Optics (AMO) introduced its first multifocal IOL designed to provide multiple points of focus, thereby dramatically reducing the need for bifocals or trifocal glasses after surgery.
Today, with its many optical design enhancements, AMO’s second-generation ReZoom™ Multifocal IOL is providing patients with a full range of vision and greater independence from glasses or contact lenses than ever before. Clinical studies show that 92% of those receiving the ReZoom™ Lens technology “never”, or “only occasionally,” need to wear glasses.1
The ReZoom™ Multifocal Lens Technology
Balanced View Optics™ Technology literally provides multiple focal points so you can see well at a variety of distances. The ReZoom™ Multifocal Lens has five uniquely proportioned visual zones designed to provide clear vision for different light and focal distances.
The First Steps to Resuming Life
If you suffer from poor vision, or think you might have a cataract, you should make an appointment to have a complete eye examination. Once it is determined that you are a good candidate for the ReZoom™ Multifocal IOL, you will be given additional information about the possible risks, complications, and costs involved with the procedure. Be sure to have all of your questions answered before giving your consent to have surgery.
Your physician
at Southwest Michigan Eye Center will discuss the best lens
technology for you.
Convenient
Surgery
Cataract
Surgery is convenient with Southwest Michigan Eye Center’s
On-Site Surgery at Brookside Surgery Center.
Schedule
an Appointment Today to see why Southwest Michigan
Eye Center is one of the area’s most respected leaders
in eye care excellence
Southwest
Michigan Eye Center
3600 Capital Avenue S.W., Suite 203
Battle Creek, Michigan 49015
800-274-6699
269.979.6381 (FAX) info@swmeyecenter.com
