No-needle, No-stitch Cataract Surgery

Dr. Douglas Liva performs cataract surgery with some of the latest techniques and most up-to-date technology available, including the AquaLase® lens removal system and ReSTOR® intraocular lens (IOL) replacements.

A cataract is a clouding that occurs on the lens of the eye - usually as a natural part of the aging process. Cataracts are a major cause of vision loss in the United States, and most people will eventually experience some cataract formation age they get older. The good news is that cataract surgery is a highly effective way to restore vision impaired by cataracts.

In an eye without cataracts, light passes first through the clear lens before being focused on the retina (nerve cells at the back of the eye). The image formed on the retina is then transmitted to the brain. Cataracts interfere with this normal visual process. Cataracts make the lens of eye cloudy, so light does not focus on the retina properly. The result is hazy, milky, or distorted vision.

The term “cataract” is applied to a natural eye lens that has become clouded, either as part of the aging process or as the result of excessive exposure to ultraviolet light. Cataracts are a major cause of vision loss in the United States, and most people will eventually experience some cataract formation as they get older. The good news is that cataract surgery is a highly effective way to restore clarity to vision impaired by cataracts.

In an eye without cataracts, light passes first through the clear lens before being focused on the retina, a tissue of nerve cells at the back of the eye. The image formed on the retina is then transmitted to the brain. Cataracts interfere with this normal visual process, making the lens of eye cloudy so that light cannot focus on the retina properly. The result is hazy, milky, or distorted vision.

AquaLase® for Gentle, Safe Lens Removal

Dr. Liva performs stitchless cataract surgery with the help of the AquaLase® liquefaction device. The first step in cataract surgery is to remove the clouded lens. To avoid possible complications, including rupturing the membrane that holds the lens, Dr. Liva can use fluid micropulses from the AquaLase® to gently and accurately break apart and flush out the lens without damage to surrounding eye tissue. A replacement IOL is then inserted through a tiny incision and placed in the membrane from which the natural lens was removed.

Until recently, cataract surgery patients were given IOLs that provided good distance vision, but they continued to require glasses for near vision. This is because the muscles that compress the natural lens to provide near-vision focus cannot be attached to replacement IOLs. It is the varying thickness of the natural lens that provides focus at different distances.

ReSTOR® IOL for Improved Range of Vision

The ReSTOR® IOL changes all that. Instead of the flat surface of traditional IOLs, the ReSTOR® has a stepped surface, from thin at the outer edge for the most distant vision, to thick in the center for the nearest vision. This design focuses light from several different distances onto the retina at the same time. For most patients, the ReSTOR® IOL will eliminate the need for glasses in most situations. Some patients may still need glasses, but will be pleased to find that, in most cases, the prescription is very mild.

No Needle, No Stitches

Both the removal of the clouded natural lens and the implantation of the replacement IOL are accomplished through tiny incisions no more than 2.75 millimeters in length. Incisions this small will easily heal without the need for stitches. Dr. Liva will provide eye drops to reduce irritation and guard against inflammation and infection during the healing period.

Refractive Lens Exchange

The advances in cataract surgery have led to refractive lens exchange, the replacement of lenses that have not yet developed cataracts but suffer from moderate to high refractive error. Just as with cataract replacement surgery, refractive lens exchange with standard IOLs provides excellent distance vision, but patients will still require glasses for near vision. The benefits include stable adjusted vision that exceeds preoperative vision, the elimination of the eventual need for cataract surgery, and the preservation of the central cornea for those patients for whom LASIK surgery is not appropriate.

As with cataract surgery, refractive lens exchange with the ReSTOR® IOL improves the outcome, eliminating or significantly reducing the need for glasses.

Limbal Relaxing Incisions

In cataract patients with astigmatism, Dr. Liva may suggest limbal relaxing incisions (LRI) as part of the surgery, to reduce astigmatism after implantation. These tiny incisions, radiating outward beyond the outer edge of the cornea, can effectively change the shape of an astigmatic eye. With the combination of IOLs and the LRI procedure, astigmatic cataract patients can expect the same reduction in the need for glasses as the cataract patient who had good vision before developing cataracts.

Contact the office of Dr. Douglas Liva today to learn more about cataract surgery, refractive lens exchange, and limbal relaxing incisions.