Leading Cataract Surgery at Kleiman Evangelista Eye Centers of Texas

Cataracts represent a significant threat to the ocular health of countless Americans.

It’s estimated that cataracts currently affect more than 20.5 million Americans over the age of 40. By age 65, over 90% of people in the U.S. will develop cataracts.

Fortunately, treatment is available. At Kleiman Evangelista Eye Centers of Texas, our Dallas cataract surgeons have extensive experience in restoring patients’ vision via safe and effective laser-assisted cataract surgery, using the latest technology. We are able to offer our patients a choice of several premium lenses, any of which can improve your eyesight and allow you to live your life to the fullest.

What Are Cataracts?

Cataracts can cause significant visual impairment, but you don’t have to live with the symptoms. Treating your cataracts is easy, safe, and will significantly improve your quality of life.

Just as the lenses in a pair of glasses can get smudged or pick up fingerprints, the lenses in our eyes can become cloudy as we get older. This happens when the proteins that make up the lenses in our eyes slowly congeal into clumps, causing common cataract symptoms like blurry vision, sensitivity to bright light, and difficulty reading.

Cataracts are a common, entirely normal part of aging. Though younger adults can develop cataracts — especially those who’ve experienced a serious eye injury or who have certain medical conditions like diabetes — older adults are far more likely to develop them.

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What are Cataracts?

Cataracts are a progressive condition that develops slowly, and the first small signs are easy for most people to overlook. Most people don’t seek treatment for cataracts until they begin to noticeably interfere with their vision. Besides blurry vision, other symptoms include difficulty driving at night, elevated sensitivity to glare and bright lights, and the appearance of halos around light sources. Many people describe having cataracts as looking through a clouded window. Fortunately, laser-assisted cataract surgery provides a safe solution that’s usually performed on an outpatient basis.

Cataract Symptoms

Because cataracts develop slowly, it’s possible to live with the condition for years before its symptoms start to noticeably compromise your vision. It’s good to have your eyes checked for cataracts regularly, especially if you’re between the ages of 40 and 50, when most age-related cataracts begin to develop.

The symptoms of cataracts become more pronounced over time, but here are a few early signs that you may have a cataract:

• Blurred or cloudy vision
• Difficulty seeing at night
• “Halos” around bright lights (especially at night)
• Sensitivity to bright light and glare
• Need for brighter lights for reading and other close-up activities
• Double vision or multiple images in one eye
• A faded or yellowish hue to bright colors
• The need for frequent adjustments to glasses or contact lens prescriptions

Click here to see pictures of what these symptoms can look like

What Does Cataract Surgery Entail?

Once you decide that receiving cataract surgery is your next step toward clearer vision, you will probably be interested in learning more about what the procedure actually entails. A typical cataract surgery involves a few simple steps:

• First, a surgeon numbs your eye and the surrounding area with a local anesthetic.
• Next, they make a small incision in the front of your eye, which allows them to easily remove the lens that is clouded by a cataract.
• They then replace the old lens with a new artificial lens (called an intraocular lens) made from acrylic, plastic, or silicone.
• As your eye heals, it fuses with the new lens, and your vision begins to become clearer.

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Your Premium Lens Options

If you’ve decided to undergo cataract surgery, your next step will be to select the right intraocular lens (IOL) for lens replacement at our Dallas office. This is important for a few reasons, including the fact that you can’t have cataract surgery on the same eye more than once. Further, cataract surgery can deliver a host of lifestyle benefits — not only will your vision be clearer after surgery, but depending on your choice of lens, you may not even need your glasses anymore!

At Kleiman Evangelista Eye Centers of Texas, our Dallas cataract surgeons are pleased to offer all three premium lens types currently available on the market, each of which offers unique advantages.

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The Right Time for Cataract Surgery

While cataract surgery only becomes a necessity when vision loss starts to interfere with daily activities like driving or watching television, many people elect to undergo the procedure once their cataracts affect their ability to see vibrant colors. The good news is that cataracts won’t harm your eye health if you wait to have surgery, though you should still regularly see an eye care professional to ensure that your eyes are otherwise healthy.

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Cataract Surgery

Your eye doctor will provide you with a comprehensive list of pre-surgery instructions to ensure that everything goes as smoothly as possible, so be sure to follow them carefully. For instance, you may be asked to avoid applying cosmetics, including moisturizers, around the eye area on the morning of your surgery, not to eat or drink 12 hours before the surgery, and to forgo taking certain medications. Most cataract surgeries take less than 20 minutes total, and recovery time for most patients is minimal.

Cataract Surgery Recovery

While having eye surgery can seem scary or intimidating, modern cataract surgery is minimally invasive, and your recovery will likely be shorter and less painful than you may expect. It typically takes about four weeks to fully recover from surgery, but you should notice your vision gradually becoming clearer and more focused as the days and weeks pass.

• Once your procedure is finished, you’ll be given a shield with which to cover your eye.
• Immediately following your procedure, you may notice that your eye feels sore, irritated, or itchy — all of which are normal.
• While you should avoid bending over at the waist or performing any heavy lifting during the first few days of recovery.
• In the days and weeks following your procedure, you’ll need to schedule several follow-up appointments with your surgeon to make sure your eye is healing properly.

You’ll be scheduled for a follow-up visit within the next day or two, so be sure to take note of any questions or concerns you may have so that you can ask the doctor.

We’re available by phone Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. or via our convenient online contact form. Please contact us for more information.

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Making Cataract Surgery Affordable

In the majority of cases, as long as you’ve met your deductible and copay, both private insurance and Medicare will cover the cost of cataract surgery. Alternatively, if you have a health insurance policy through your employer, you may be able to use a flexible spending account to pay for surgery. Regardless of who is paying, there are a few factors that can affect the cost of your procedure.

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