Cataract Surgery | Diabetic Eye Treatment

A cataract is a cloudy area in the normally clear lens in the front of the eye. Cataracts are caused by a chemical change of unknown origin in the eye, and cause blurred or distorted vision. They cannot be prevented from forming, but early detection through regular eye exams can help maintain the clearest vision possible.

People at risk for developing cataracts are over 55 years old, have had eye injuries or disease, have a family history of cataracts, smoke cigarettes or use certain medications. There is no pain associated with the condition, but there are several symptoms that indicate failing vision due to cataracts. These include:

Vision loss from cataracts can often be corrected with prescription glasses and contact lenses. For people who are significantly affected by cataracts, replacement surgery may be the preferred method of treatment. During cataract replacement, the most common surgical procedure in the country, the lens is removed and replaced with an artificial one called an intraocular lens or IOL.

Cataract Surgery

During cataract surgery, a small ultrasonic probe is inserted into the eye which breaks up, or emulsifies, the cloudy lens into tiny pieces and gently sucks, or aspirates, those pieces out of the eye. Phaco surgery requires a small incision of only 3.2 mm or less. To make your procedure as painless as possible, anesthesia is a combination of local and/or topical along with IV sedation.

With the recent advance of foldable IOL’s, artificial lenses can be implanted through the same small incision that is created in the phaco procedure. The IOLs are made of a flexible material allowing them to be folded for implantation. Once inside the eye, the lens unfolds and returns to its original shape.

The following IOLs are newer generation of lenses that offer an expanded range of vision than standard implants.

AcrySof ReSTOR® Lens

Dr. Mahanti has been using flexible IOLs for years to replace the eye's cloudy lens during cataract surgery and help patients enjoy clear vision again. The ReSTOR® lens improves upon the ordinary IOL by using apodized diffractive technology to provide a full range of focusing distances from near to far. A series of 12 gradual "step heights" of 0.2-1.3 microns each (thinner than a human hair and smaller than a red blood cell) in the center of the IOL create seamless focusing ability, while the peripheral refractive region helps to enhance distance vision. Apodization also allows the lens to work with the pupil to distribute light evenly in the eye in different lighting conditions and activity levels. Alcon® reports that up to 80% of patients with and without presbyopia who use the ReSTOR lens don't need glasses after surgery.

ReZoom™ Multifocal Lens

The ReZoom™ multifocal intraocular lens (IOL) helps patients focus clearly on objects at a range of distances and in varied light conditions, so they can be free of glasses or contact lenses after cataract surgery. The ReZoom lens features five spherical segments with smooth transitions in between so the eyes focus seamlessly from one distance to the next. The center of the lens is optimized for bright light and distance vision, while the fourth zone supports near-vision in a variety of light conditions, and the outermost zone accommodates for low-light distance vision (such as when driving at night). The ReZoom is also specially designed to reduce internal reflections and minimize glare.

The crystalens takes its design cues from a single source – nature. Working in concert with the eye’s natural muscle, cyrstalens “flexes” to accommodate near, intermediate and distance subjects. No lens comes closer to mirroring the function of the natural lens.

AcrySof Toric Lens

There are several surgical options your surgeon may choose to treat astigmatism, such as LASIK laser vision correction, astigmatic keratotomy (AK), or limbal relaxing incisions (LRI). However, if you are planning to have surgery to remove a cataract, you now have an additional option…an implantable lens that makes it possible to treat the cataract and correct the corneal astigmatism at the same time.

The AcrySof Toric Lens is a foldable, singlepiece lens that is implanted during cataract surgery to replace the clouded lens. The unique design of the AcrySof Toric IOL makes it possible reduce or eliminate corneal astigmatism and significantly improve uncorrected distance vision.

Diabetic Eye Diseases and Treatments

Patients with diabetes are at an increased risk of developing eye diseases that can cause vision loss and blindness, such as diabetic retinopathy, cataracts and glaucoma. These and other serious conditions often develop without vision loss or pain, so significant damage may be done to the eyes by the time the patient notices any symptoms. For this reason it is very important for diabetic patients to have their eyes examined once a year. Diagnosing and treating eye disease early can prevent vision loss. It is also important to maintain a steady blood-sugar level, take prescribed medications, follow a healthy diet, exercise regularly and avoid smoking.

The most common diabetic eye disease.

Diabetic retinopathy is a leading cause of blindness in American adults. It is caused by changes in the blood vessels of the retina. In some people with diabetic retinopathy, retinal blood vessels may swell and leak fluid. In other people, abnormal new blood vessels grow on the surface of the retina. These changes may result in vision loss or blindness.

Can diabetic retinopathy be treated?

Yes. Your eye care professional may suggest laser surgery in which a strong light beam is aimed onto the retina. Laser surgery and appropriate follow-up care can reduce the risk of blindness by 90 percent. However, laser surgery often cannot restore vision that has already been lost. That is why finding diabetic retinopathy early is the best way to prevent vision loss.

What can you do to protect your vision?

Finding and treating the disease early, before it causes vision loss or blindness, is the best way to control diabetic eye disease. So, if you have diabetes, make sure you get a dilated eye examination at least once a year.