June is Cataract Awareness Month—here’s how Hattiesburg Eye Clinic utilizes the most up-to-date technology to turn your cataracts into clear sight.
Even if you’ve passed every annual eye exam with flying colors, there’s no guarantee your streak will hold up as you get older. Currently, 37 million Americans over the age of 50 contend with some form of visual impairment, mainly from glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, or cataracts.
Of these, cataracts are the most pervasive.
“Cataracts are quite prevalent, particularly in the older population,” says Dr. Todd Williamson, eye surgeon with Hattiesburg Eye Clinic. “It takes time for them to grow, but at some point, they can cause significant vision loss.”
Bottom line according to Dr. Williamson: Nearly everyone winds up with a cataract if they live long enough.
Diseases like glaucoma have no definitive cure. Patients and their doctors must manage these conditions to minimize vision loss—and the sooner they start the better.
But not so with cataracts: A person with even severe cataracts can have their vision permanently restored—sometimes with no further need for glasses.
There are two main reasons why cataract treatment is so successful: surgical advances that have improved precision and outcomes; and developments in intraocular lenses (IOLs), the engineered artificial implant that replaces the eye’s natural lens. Together, these two aspects address the main problem of a cataract: a clouded lens.
Located just behind the iris, the lens focuses light onto the retina to make clear sight possible. Over time, however, proteins build up on the lens, normally a clear disc, and causes it to become opaque. Severe cloudiness could prevent a person from making out objects with any useful detail, essentially blinding them.
Surgeons like Dr. Williamson surgically remove the clouded lens and replace it with an IOL. After numerous advances over the years, cataract surgery is now one of the most successful treatments for eye disease.
“We’ve used the standard surgical procedure for decades with a very high success rate,” says Dr. Williamson. “The goal in this respect is to restore distance vision as much as possible without the need for glasses, although patients may still need glasses to aid up close viewing.”
In this standard procedure, surgeons use micro-scalpels to make precise incisions through the cornea to access the lens. They then break it apart and remove it, replacing it with a new IOL that’s sutured in place.
But Dr. Williamson says a more precise and comfortable procedure has emerged using lasers.
“Laser technology has made great inroads in cataract treatment. That’s why we introduced the CATALYS® Precision Laser system—it’s a much gentler and precise procedure that, on average, can be done in less than 30 seconds with no discomfort for the patient.” The CATALYS® Laser is only available in this region at Hattiesburg Eye Clinic, the first in Mississippi to offer the precision laser.
Using the CATALYS® system, which automates much of the tasks surgeons perform during procedures, increases the probability of a successful outcome. But the type of IOL used is also critical to achieving not only distance vision, but better near and intermediate vision as well.
“The CATALYS® procedure with the TECNIS Eyhance™ IOL, can also correct astigmatism. This increases the chances a patient won’t require glasses for distance, and it may also help reduce dependency on glasses for up close vision,” says Dr. Williamson.
If a patient is motivated to be done with corrective lenses altogether, Hattiesburg Eye Clinic offers an upgraded IOL that increases that likelihood.
“If you want clearer vision at far and close up distances, we offer a premium IOL, the Tecnis Odyssey™ multifocal lens,” says Dr. Williamson. “For a lot of patients, the Odyssey™ could get them out of glasses altogether.”
Dealing with any eye disease can be challenging, including cataracts. But you don’t have to live with clouded vision—today’s modern cataract treatment can make for a clearer tomorrow.Visit our website to learn more about Hattiesburg Eye Clinic’s treatment solutions for cataracts. To find out how Hattiesburg Eye Clinic can improve your overall vision health, call 601-268-5910 (or toll-free 800-624-8254) or schedule a consultation with us at www.hattiesburgeyeclinic.com/contact-us/
