The Benefits Of Laser Cataract Surgery Over Traditional, Blade-Based Procedures

If you know someone who had cataract surgery performed a decade or two ago, you may have heard their tales of having had their eyes operated upon with blades. It's important to realize that today, you have another option: laser-based cataract surgeries. While blade-based cataract surgeries are still performed on some patients whose eye shapes make it difficult for the lasers to be used, most patients these days are opting for laser surgeries. After all, laser cataract surgery offers several benefits over its blade-based predecessor. 

Laser surgery is more accurate.

Cataract surgery involves slicing the old lens out of your eye and then inserting a new lens. When this is done with a hand-held scalpel, the incision is not always exactly the right size and shape to accommodate the lens. This may lead to slower healing or vision that's not quite as clear as it could be once the patient heals. However, with laser surgery, the incision is made very precisely since its size and shape is pre-programmed into the computer according to your surgeon's specifications. This allows for a better lens fit, which leads to faster healing, and for many patients, better vision.

The cataract is removed more gently.

When the cataract is removed by hand, the surgeon has to use ultrasound to break it up so that it can be removed from the eye. This is a bit traumatic and adds to the time it takes your eye to heal from the surgery. With laser surgery, the laser can be used to break the cataract up, making it easier to remove. This is much more gentle, which reduces the risk of side effects and reduces the time it will take for you to regain clear vision following the surgery.

Laser surgery can correct astigmatism and reduce the need for glasses or contacts after surgery.

If you have astigmatism, even after a traditional cataract surgery, you will need glasses or contacts to correct your vision. However, with laser cataract surgery, your surgeon can use the lasers to correct the astigmatism at the same time that he or she removes the cataracts. As a result, you may not need glasses or contact at all once you are healed.

If you suffer from cataracts, be sure to talk to your eye doctor (such as one from Country Hills Eye Center) about the benefits of laser eye surgery. It may cost a bit more than traditional, blade-based methods, but the healing time is shorter, the results are more accurate, and you may be able to eliminate your need for corrective lenses entirely. 

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