Cataract Surgeons Hamburg, PA

Cataract surgery involves lens replacement, known as intraocular lens (IOL) implantation. Surgery is eventually needed to treat cataracts, a common and effective procedure to treat the clouding of the natural lens. With the clouded lens, cataracts can cause blurry vision, difficulty seeing at night, increased sensitivity to light, and reduced vision quality. Our Eye Consultants of Pennsylvania cataract surgeons are near Hamburg, PA. Three of our offices – Pottsville, Wyomissing, or Lebanon – are close to you.

How Cataracts Form

Cataracts form when the eye’s natural lens becomes clouded due to the buildup of proteins, leading to decreased transparency. Aging is the primary factor contributing to cataract development. Additionally, prolonged exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light, smoking, diabetes, certain medications, and eye injuries may increase the risk of cataracts. As the cataract progresses, it obstructs light from reaching the retina, causing blurry vision, sensitivity to light, and difficulty seeing clearly.

How Cataracts Are Treated

The only effective treatment is cataract surgery, which replaces the clouded lens with an artificial intraocular lens to restore clear vision. Lens advances are incredible, and you have several lens options available. We choose these based on your individual needs, lifestyle, and preferences.

Monofocal lenses are the most common lens used. These lenses correct vision at either a near or far distance. Most patients choose a lens for distance vision and use reading glasses for close tasks.

Monovision surgery means that one eye is corrected for distance vision while the other is corrected for near vision. This approach can reduce the need for reading glasses, but it may affect depth perception, and some people may find it less comfortable.

Multifocal lenses are designed to provide clear vision at multiple distances, reducing the need for reading glasses or bifocals.

An accommodating lens mimics a natural lens by shifting focus between near and distance vision as your eye muscles move. These lenses are designed to provide a broader range of vision and reduce the need for glasses.

A toric lens is specifically used for patients with astigmatism. Our surgeons can correct cataracts and astigmatism in the same surgery to provide improved distance vision without needing glasses or contact lenses. We sometimes recommend an aspheric lens to provide better contrast sensitivity and reduce spherical aberrations to improve vision, especially in low-light conditions.

The cataract lens option should be chosen in consultation with your eye surgeon, who will consider your lifestyle, visual needs, and any existing eye conditions or astigmatism. Your surgeon will help you determine the best option based on a comprehensive eye examination and discussing your goals and expectations. It’s important to have realistic expectations regarding your post-surgery vision and discuss any potential side effects or trade-offs associated with each lens type.

At Eye Consultants of Pennsylvania, we can provide all of these lens options, courtesy of our cataract surgeons. We have several convenient locations for Hamburg, PA residents. We promise you a cataract surgery experience tailored to your needs. As with any surgical procedure, there are risks involved. Although cataract surgery has minimal risk, discussing the benefits and potential risks with you is still important. Come see us at one of our convenient locations today, and let’s discuss your cataract surgery.