Cataract Treatment

Kelly Vision Center offers a variety of options to treat cataracts. New York ophthalmologist Dr. James Kelly is an experienced cataract surgeon and an active member of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons. Dr. Sambursky, a partner at Kelly Vision Center, received his cataract surgery training at Johns-Hopkins University and has performed over 7,000 cataract surgeries throughout his career.

The majority of people experience some degree of cataract formation by the age of 60. Fortunately, recent advances in cataract surgery technology, such as the ReSTOR intraocular lens, and Crystalens have vastly improved the treatment of this serious eye condition.

What is a Cataract?

For most of your life, your eye's lens is clear, enabling you to accurately process visual stimuli. As you age, proteins in your eye's lens may clump together, becoming opaque and dense. When this occurs, you have developed a cataract. Cataracts prevent light from reaching your retina. Instead, the light that does not pass through your lens gets scattered, blurred, and distorted, resulting in a gradual deterioration of your vision.

Cataracts will cause you to perceive images as less sharp, crisp, and vivid. Colors will be subdued, and you may experience glare around lights. When not properly treated, cataracts can lead to blindness.

While the development of cataracts is generally part of the natural aging process, it can also be caused by:

• Diabetes
• Trauma
• Certain medications
• Excessive sun exposure
• Genetic predisposition

Treatment for Cataracts

Cataract surgery is a very safe and effective procedure. It is generally completed in 10-15 minutes, and you can usually go home a few hours after the procedure has been performed. Each eye will have to be operated on at a separate time, generally several weeks apart.

Anesthetic eye drops are used to numb the eye. The procedure is called phacoemulsification, and sound waves are used to remove the cataract. An artificial lens, called an intraocular lens (IOL), will replace your eye’s natural lens. The IOL will aid in the focusing of light after your cataract has been removed.

There are a variety of IOLs which can be used in cataract surgery. The majority of IOLs only correct for one focal point, and in most cases, it will be for distance vision. However, one option, the ReSTOR® lens, can correct for multiple focal points, enabling you to address both near and distance vision.

At your initial consultation, Dr. Kelly will discuss the different IOL options with you and recommend the appropriate option based on your condition.

Please contact our New York cataract surgeons today to schedule your initial cataract consultation. Kelly Vision Center serves patients in the New York City, Manhattan, and Long Island, New York areas.