Cataract and Refractive Surgery

Cataract Surgery

Cataract surgery is now the most common operation in the United States, with millions of people having the procedure done every year. And while 4 million of those individuals are over 65 and on Medicare, a growing number of younger men and women are finding the procedure necessary as well.

What are cataracts? They are a clouding of the eye’s lens and create blurry, dull or brownish vision. Cataracts in one or both eyes make it hard to drive, especially at night, or even read and watch television.

As a comprehensive eye care and surgery center, the Johnson City Eye Clinic is completely devoted to eye care, has locations in Johnson City and Bristol. The Johnson City Eye Surgery Center has been accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care, Inc (AAAHC). Johnson City Eye Clinic and Surgery Center has been helping the community see better for more than 75 years.

The LenSx® laser improves the way modern cataract surgery is performed. It is 100 percent customized for each unique eye. Until recently, cataract surgery required the use of a manual surgical blade to open the eye and capsule supporting the diseased lens. New bladeless laser technology provides a more advanced manner in which to perform several steps of the procedure. Johnson City Eye Clinic’s adoption of this technology is a testament to their dedication to offering the most advanced technology as an option for patients in the community.

The Femtosecond laser signifies a bold leap forward in cataract surgery by bringing image-guided computer precision to cataract surgeons. The system performs surgery according to surgeon preferences, using focused laser pulses to create incisions. Surgeons utilizing this new technology will be able to create more predictable openings that carry through subsequent steps of cataract surgery.

This “blade-free” laser approach to cataract surgery allows the surgeon to improve the predictability of the procedure, with increased precision, accuracy and faster healing time. Laser cataract surgery is the most accurate and gentle way to remove a diseased lens. With LenSx®, surgeons can now create consistent incisions that are up to 10 times more precise than the manual portions of the cataract surgical procedure. The procedure takes about 15 minutes.

Customized for each unique eye, laser cataract surgery performs advanced astigmatism treatments to ensure the very best visual result. The precision and customization of the LenSx® laser is also perfectly suited to patients seeking an improved visual outcome through a specialty lens implant, like the ReStor® or Toric® lens implants. Patients have had the option of choosing these specialty lenses for several years; lenses that help to improve vision at distance and at near. When used in conjunction with LenSx®, these lenses may mean a great deal more freedom from glasses after cataract surgery.

Johnson City Eye Clinic and Surgery Center is committed to providing patients with innovative technology, education and treatment options. The Physicians at Johnson City Eye Clinic and Surgery Center could not be happier to offer this new technology cataract surgery option.

 

We are a provider of these premium lenses:

Medicare and your insurance company will cover the cost of cataract surgery. You may elect out of pocket for a premium lens.

Cataracts are the leading cause of vision loss among adults 55 and older. Cataracts are a clouding of the natural lens in the eyes – the part of the eye that focuses light and produces clear images. Most cataracts tend to advance slowly and can take years to mature. Symptoms include cloudy vision, difficulty seeing at night, halos around lights, frequent changes in glasses or contact lens prescriptions, double vision in one eye, poor night vision, light sensitivity or seeing faded colors. Surgical removal of the cloudy lens restores visual clarity. The decision to have cataract surgery depends on the level of visual discomfort an individual is experiencing.

Astigmatism is a common eye condition that is caused by an eye that is not completely round. When light enters the eye, the irregular curvature of the cornea and/or lens causes light to refract more in one direction than the other, allowing only part of the object to be in focus at one time. Objects at any distance can appear blurry.

Johnson City Eye Clinic and Surgery Center is proud to offer Laser-Assisted Cataract Surgery. We were one of the first in a four-state region to provide our patients with this exciting and cutting-edge technology. As East Tennessee’s premier eye care facility, we are pleased to provide our patients with these innovative options. The choices in technology and lenses are greater than every before. The benefits of precision laser-assisted surgery include:

  • Customized to your individual eyes and needs
  • Less energy utilized during cataract surgery
  • Decreased time of procedure
  • Precise, accurate incisions and treatment
  • Decreased dependency on glasses following surgery

Laser-Assisted Cataract Surgery

Basic Cataract Surgery

Basic cataract surgery can provide excellent outcomes without the use of laser-guided assistance. You may require glasses following surgery to further correct your distance vision or astigmatism, and you will require glasses to correct near vision

Laser-Assisted refractive cataract surgery

If you do not mind wearing glasses for near correction, the custom, laser-guided incisions of the unique TORIC lens implant in combination with cataract surgery can greatly reduce or eliminate the need for distance or astigmatism correction following surgery.

Advanced laser-assisted Refractive cataract surgery

The accuracy of the laser combined with an advanced technology multi-focal lens implant is designed to correct distance and near vision, which will decrease your dependency on glasses following surgery. The laser may be used to provide astigmatism correction with precise incisions. It is important to understand that you will still need reading glasses for very fine print and some near vision activities.