Cutting Edge Cataract Surgery

Leaders in Cataract Excellence & Innovation

At Northeast Ohio Eye Surgeons, treating cataracts is one of our specialities. Among the first in Ohio to use the LenSx® Custom Cataract Laser for the laser treatment of cataracts, our doctors are recognized in northeast Ohio and beyond for surgical excellence and innovation. Since 1982, our surgeons have performed over 50,000 cataract surgeries, with the vast majority of our patients achieving legal driving vision or better after surgery.

Recognized in Best Doctors in America and in Top Docs for nearly 20 years, our award-winning doctors and experienced staff recognize that every eye is unique and that each person has different needs and expectations following cataract surgery. We are committed to helping you make the best treatment decision for you, based on your eye health and lifestyle.

Discover if you are a candidate for cataract surgery by answering a few, simple questions through the Surgery Center’s self-evaluation test.

What Are Cataracts?

A cataract occurs when the eye’s clear lens becomes cloudy. As the eye’s lens becomes cloudier, light rays cannot easily pass through it. As a result, many individuals experience blurry vision and glare around lights at night.

Although some cataracts are caused by trauma, disease or medications, cataracts usually develop as a natural part of the aging process. Since there is currently no medical treatment available to reverse or prevent cataracts from developing, surgery is often the best solution.

Cataracts are the leading cause of vision loss in people over 40, which is why it is important to consider surgery when you feel your cataracts are interfering with the quality of your life.

Cataract Treatment Overview

All of our cataract procedures are performed at St. Clare Surgery Center, our private outpatient facility, and take approximately 20 minutes to complete. The surgery is virtually painless and most patients resume their normal activities, including driving, within a day or two of the procedure.

During the surgery, the doctor makes a microscopic incision on the cornea. The patient’s cloudy lens is removed and replaced with a new, clear, artificial lens called an intraocular lens (IOL). Traditionally, this incision has been made with a blade and still is in some cases, but because of the tremendous advances in technology, the surgeons at Eye Surgeons typically use the latest laser technology to make cataract incisions and to help center the IOL.

This type of surgery is known as Laser Cataract Surgery and is one of the most exciting advancements in cataract surgery in years. Studies have shown computer-guided laser cataract surgery is more accurate than conventional cataract surgery for astigmatism correction and is up to ten times more precise than using a blade. Cataract surgery using a laser generally enables patients to achieve better quality vision, without glasses, than traditional cataract surgery.

Northeast Ohio Eye Surgeons Offers Patients Three Cataract Treatment Options:

Option One: Basic Cataract Surgery

Option Two: Custom Cataract Laser Surgery

Option Three: Lifestyle Cataract Surgery

Treatment Option One: Basic Cataract Surgery

Basic Cataract Surgery is considered one of the safest and most successful procedures performed today. During Basic Cataract Surgery, the doctor uses a blade to make a microscopic incision on the cornea. The cloudy, natural lens is removed and a clear, basic intraocular lens (IOL) is inserted to replace it. While Basic Cataract Surgery will alleviate the blurry vision and glare caused by cataracts, it will not address other eyesight issues such as astigmatism or the need for reading glasses. Most patients will still need prescription eyeglasses for many daily activities. Medicare and most private insurances cover this procedure. Insurance co-pays and deductibles still apply.

Treatment Option Two: Custom Cataract Laser Surgery

Custom Cataract Surgery combines the precision of the laser with the ability to correct for astigmatism to help the great majority of cataract patients eliminate their need for glasses for distance vision. Using the LenSx® Custom Cataract Laser, the first FDA-approved laser for the treatment of cataracts with astigmatism, our surgeons create incisions to treat both cataracts and astigmatism with a laser instead of a blade. The laser also enables our doctors to customize your procedure to your eye’s unique characteristics, resulting in potentially better visual outcomes and more reproducible results.

Custom Cataract Laser Surgery generally enables patients to achieve better quality vision, without glasses, than Basic Cataract Surgery. While many patients will still need reading glasses after surgery, the relative freedom from glasses for other activities, coupled with the precision and predictability of the laser, has made Custom Cataract Laser Surgery one of the fastest growing eye procedures available.

Treatment Option Three: Lifestyle Cataract Surgery

If you’ve always dreamed of turning back the clock and reducing or eliminating your dependence on glasses or bifocals, Lifestyle Cataract Surgery may be for you. As with Custom Cataract Surgery, our doctors will use the LenSx® Custom Cataract Laser to make incisions and eliminate any astigmatism you may have during cataract surgery. Instead of inserting a basic IOL, however, our doctors will implant a special “multifocal” or “accommodative” lens. This lens mimics a young eye’s lens in that it can simultaneously focus at distance and near. This flexibility provides the greatest range of vision possible, enabling most patients to significantly reduce their need for glasses for near and distance vision after surgery. Most patients who choose to undergo Lifestyle Cataract Surgery can read and do other close work without reading glasses after the procedure, although some people may still need mild reading glasses for reading and very small print or doing fine work.

If you are exploring lifestyle cataract treatment options, the AcrySof IQ PanOptix® IOL may be the right choice for you. PanOptix® IOL is the next-generation trifocal lens designed to provide you with clear vision for near (40 cm), intermediate (60 cm), and far distances without glasses.

“I recently had the Pan Optix implant surgery and am completely satisfied with the results. At 67 years old, I was experiencing the development of cataracts in addition to the continued decline of my eyesight. I had become completely dependent on glasses for everyday vision at all distances. Being an active person, the glasses were a constant annoyance when running, hiking, and engaging in vigorous activity. I finally decided I had enough and wanted to be glasses-free for life. It’s been a little over a month since my surgery and now both eyes have the Pan Optix lens replacements. I have not had to put on a pair of glasses since the surgery and have 20/20 vision. I now feel like a new person and have the vision of a 30-year-old and this has been a life-changing event for me. The surgery was a breeze and I highly recommend Northeast Ohio Eye Surgeons for first-rate professional care!” -M.T.

Click Here to Learn More About PanOptix® IOL

A thorough eye evaluation and a discussion to determine your visual expectations after surgery, our doctors and staff will recommend the best option for you and your lifestyle.