What Is a Cataract?
A cataract is a clouding of the lens in the eye. Cataracts typically grow slowly, causing decreased vision and glare at night. While cataracts can affect people of all ages, they primarily affect adults over 50 and worsen with age.
There have been amazing advances in the field of cataract surgery in terms of precision, quality of vision, and options for correcting vision. Our physicians have been at the forefront of these advances, and many of them have been developed here at Baylor Medicine.
At Baylor Medicine, we offer a variety of premium options for cataract surgery, including advanced technology lenses that provide a greater range of vision (distance, intermediate, and near), expertise in astigmatism correction, and the femtosecond laser for assisting with cataract surgery. We also offer the RxSight Light Adjustable Lens, which can be modified after cataract surgery to maximize the sharpness of vision without glasses.
Premium Lenses
Many patients desire to be free of glasses after cataract surgery. We now have several different types of lens implants that can reduce the need for glasses. Imagine playing golf and being able to read the newspaper without needing glasses! Our doctors at Baylor Medicine are experienced and teach other surgeons about how to select the best lens to meet each patient’s visual needs. These lenses are not for everyone, and we help you to select the lens that will be best for you.
Astigmatism Correction
Astigmatism is an imperfection in the curvature of the cornea — the clear, round dome covering the eye's iris and pupil — or in the shape of the eye's lens, which causes blurry vision.
After cataract surgery, astigmatism may increase the patient’s dependence on glasses. Still, we can treat astigmatism either by inserting a special astigmatism-correcting lens implant or by using the femtosecond laser to make precise, delicate incisions in the cornea.
The Femtosecond Laser
The FDA-approved femtosecond laser is the newest device in cataract surgery. The laser softens the cataract, which results in less ultrasound energy during the surgery. Lower energy results in less swelling and shorter recovery time after surgery. The laser helps surgeons customize the treatment plan and automate the most critical parts of the cataract surgery. The laser also softens and breaks up the hard cataract into tiny pieces allowing for gentler and easier cataract removal.
