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IOLs Don’t Always Eliminate the Need for Glasses

Some Cataract patients continue to require glasses or contacts to see clearly even after their IOLs have been implanted. While their vision may be vastly improved after the removal of their cataracts, residual refractive errors keep them reliant on external lenses.

Premium IOLs Improve Vision Dramatically

Premium IOLs allow many patients to discard their glasses and contact lenses for good after cataract surgery. Some may continue to use glasses when they need to “fine tune” their vision to its most precise, such as when they are reading, driving, or watching television. Indeed, many of these people are so accustomed to wearing glasses that they don’t mind having to continue wearing them after the removal of their cataracts.

However, other patients find it frustrating to come this close to having excellent unaided vision with their multifocal IOLs, but still have to rely on glasses for certain activities. They want to be visually independent. If you are one of these patients, LASIK after cataract surgery offers a potentially ideal solution.

The Process

Before LASIK can be considered as a possibility after cataract surgery, it is important that the patient’s eyes have fully healed. Typically, patients must wait approximately three months after the removal of their cataracts to become suitable candidates for laser vision correction. Even after a procedure like cataract surgery, your eyes go through a period of trauma. This is why it’s important to give your eyes ample time to heal after cataract surgery.

Diagnosis and Screening

Our eye surgeons must diagnose the cause of a patient’s post-surgical vision problems. Patients with residual refractive errors will then be screened to determine their candidacy for LASIK. Alternative procedures will be discussed with those who are not suitable candidates. Like any other surgical procedure, you may not be a proper candidate for LASIK. This may be due to factors out of your control, like corneal thickness, or other conditions that make LASIK unsafe to undergo.

Risks of LASIK After Cataract Surgery

All LASIK surgeries, whether performed alongside cataract surgery or not, carry certain risks and side effects. Patients who have undergone cataract surgery may experience temporary spikes in eye pressure after the procedure. It is advisable to wait until eye pressure stabilizes before proceeding with LASIK. For those who continue to have elevated eye pressure post-cataract surgery, traditional LASIK is generally not recommended. Research indicates that the microkeratome used in this procedure can further increase eye pressure in some patients. However, these individuals may be suitable candidates for all-laser iLASIK.

LASIK for Vision Changes After Cataract Surgery

LASIK is only effective for patients who experience residual refractive errors following cataract surgery. If your vision has gradually deteriorated after the insertion of your intraocular lens (IOL), you may be experiencing posterior capsule opacity, commonly known as “secondary cataracts.” This condition involves the clouding of the membrane that was once part of your natural lens and now supports your IOL. Rest assured, cataracts cannot return once your natural lenses have been removed.

This condition is quite common and can be easily treated. We use a safe and effective method called capsulotomy. This involves a YAG laser to remove haziness and improve your vision. The results are immediate, allowing you to return to your normal activities on the same day as your procedure. Similar to cataract surgery, there is no pain experienced during a capsulotomy.

If you have a capsulotomy to correct secondary cataracts, it’s less likely you’ll need LASIK after cataract surgery. A capsulotomy should solve the problem and correct your hazy vision.

Have more questions about the status of your eyesight after cataract surgery? Schedule a consultation at one of SightMD’s convenient locations.