Cataract surgery is one of the most common eye surgery procedures in the United States. In the past, patients who required cataract surgery had only one option: traditional surgery with a metal scalpel.
Today, thanks to advancing technology, you have a better choice: laser cataract surgery. Keep reading to learn eight of the best reasons to undergo laser cataract surgery!
1. Improved and Clearer Vision
Untreated cataracts can seriously affect your vision. From decreased night vision to cloudy vision, cataracts make it hard to see life clearly.
Laser cataract surgery restores your vision by replacing your cloudy natural lens with an artificial intra-ocular lens, also called an IOL. If you opt to replace your natural lens with a premium IOL, you can even improve or restore your ability to see clearly at one or more distances!
2. Increased Precision and Accuracy
When opting for laser cataract surgery, the first step in treatment is to make a precise 3D “map” of the patient’s eye. Every person’s eye is unique, so this detailed image helps your eye care provider to create a custom treatment plan.
During surgery, the map of the eye can be used to make fewer and more effective incisions and openings to replace the natural lens. The precision of the laser prevents unnecessary damage to the surrounding structures within the eye and helps remove more developed cataracts.
3. Faster Recovery Times
Laser cataract surgery is less invasive than traditional cataract surgery and leads to less of the inevitable corneal swelling caused by eye surgery. This allows for faster recovery times for laser cataract surgery patients.
Those who elect laser cataract surgery often report a noticeable improvement in their vision, sometimes immediately after the procedure. With traditional surgery, it can sometimes take a week or two to get optimized vision restoration.
Keep in mind that every person is different. Some will take longer to heal than others, and it may take a few days to weeks for your eyes to adjust.
However, choosing laser cataract surgery increases the likelihood that you will see clearer, faster!
4. No Need for Stitches
Because of the precise cuts made by the laser during cataract surgery, stitches are not required to help the eye heal. Non-laser cataract surgery often requires the use of stitches to ensure complete closure of the cuts necessary to exchange the lens.
Having stitches following cataract surgery can lead to longer recovery times, discomfort, and possible eye infection. Laser cataract surgery eliminates the need for stitches, giving patients one less worry post-surgery.
5. Reduced Risk of Complications
Using a laser to perform cataract surgery is considered safer than traditional surgery. Lasers reduce the risk of complications, like bleeding, swelling, and postoperative infection.
While any eye surgery carries the risks of complications, the advanced surgical techniques possible with lasers lessen that risk. With laser cataract surgery, you are at little to no risk for a serious complication like lens fragmentation or lens dislocation.
6. Customized Treatment
The pre-surgery mapping of the eye is an invaluable tool, for both the pre-planning of cataract surgery and as a guide during surgery. Mapping results in a higher rate of more successful treatment outcomes.
During surgery, a computer uses the map of the patient’s eye to give the laser instrument precise information about the exact location, size, and depth of the structures within the eye. This allows the eye surgeon to have extensive knowledge of their patient’s eyes as they are performing surgery.
7. More Predictable Results
When an eye surgeon has detailed information about a patient’s eye prior to and during surgery, they are more likely to be able to accurately predict the outcome of that surgery. It allows them to give their patients realistic expectations in advance of surgery.
In a traditional cataract surgery, the eye surgeon may not know the fine details of the lens to be replaced. This can lead to uncertainty about what a patient can expect during and after cataract surgery.
8. Enhanced Safety
The use of lasers in many surgical procedures has been shown to lead to fewer complications and speedier recovery times. This is because the use of laser in surgery is often far safer than using traditional techniques.
The cutting and suturing done by lasers in cataract surgery are far more precise than a metal scalpel, resulting in less trauma to surrounding eye structures. Guided by advanced computer technologies, laser cataract surgery prevents unintended side effects or postoperative infections.
At Nevada Eye Physicians, we are the premier eye care provider of exclusive LENSAR laser technology. This technology allows us to perform “bladeless” procedures that promote faster healing and can even reduce astigmatism to further improve the quality of your vision.
If your eye care provider has recommended cataract surgery to improve your eyesight, opting for laser cataract surgery ensures the best possible treatment outcome. Not only is laser surgery more precise and less invasive than traditional cataract surgery, but it also means less risk of complications and shorter recovery times.
Would you like to learn more about laser cataract surgery? Schedule an appointment at Nevada Eye Physicians in Henderson, NV, today!
