Cataracts Eye Surgery San Diego, CA

• Natural aging of the eye (most common)
• History of near-sightedness
• Diabetes or other metabolic disorders
• Previous eye surgery or trauma
• Long-term or excessive exposure to sunlight (over years)
• Use of corticosteroid medications (i.e. prednisone)

• Blurry, foggy, or filmy vision that doesn’t go away by cleaning your glasses.
• Shadowing or doubling that doesn’t go away with new glasses.
• Poor vision in dark or overly bright conditions.
• Increased glare or halos around lights at night.
• Noticeable change in colors that are no longer vibrant.
• Frequent changes in eyeglass prescriptions.

These signs of cataracts should not be ignored, especially if they impact daily activities.

Cataracts are a natural part of aging for most people, and therefore are not entirely preventable. But there are ways to slow their progression:

• Wearing sunglasses and protecting your eyes from UV light.
• Maintaining a healthy antioxidant-rich diet, avoiding smoking, and limiting alcohol use.
• Managing chronic conditions like diabetes.
• Avoiding trauma to the eye

The good news is that the loss of vision due to cataracts is reversible. And for many, this is a great opportunity to say goodbye to wearing glasses altogether!

Although cataracts don’t usually require urgent medical attention, finding a solution sooner can make life much more enjoyable. Like most changes in our bodies, it’s not uncommon for us to postpone doing something about it until it starts interfering with daily life. After all, we grew up hearing our parents and grandparents talk about cataracts as something that happened much later in life.

In the early stages, when one’s vision is “not bad enough” but also no longer great, we make small, practical adjustments without even thinking about it: turning up the lights when reading, updating glasses prescriptions more often, changing dinner plans to avoid driving after dark, or scrolling through reels about the magic eye drops that promise to fix everything.

These lifestyle adjustments only delay the possibility of fully enjoying our most important sense. The truth is, the level of activity and visual demand in our daily lives today far exceeds what our parents experienced at our same age.

The good news is that cataract surgery has come a long way. Modern technology makes the procedure safer than ever and allows for a more personalized outcome, one that can match our lifestyle and expectations.

Ultimately, cataract surgery isn’t just about restoring what’s been lost, it’s an opportunity to take it a step further and experience freedom from glasses for most, if not all, of your daily activities.

Cataract surgery is a quick, outpatient procedure done at a surgery center rather than in the hospital. While the surgery itself can take 20 minutes or less, plan to be at the center for about two hours. Before the procedure, the anesthesia team will give you what is commonly known as conscious or “twilight” sedation. During this “twilight” you are awake, but fully relaxed. Your eyelids are gently held open with the help of a small, comfortable device and the eye is numbed with anesthetic medication.

Two small sub-centimeter incisions are made on the side of the cornea and the cloudy lens is broken into smaller pieces using ultrasound energy, allowing its removal with a gentle suction tip. A clear lens, customized to your prescription and lifestyle choices, is placed in the same position of your natural lens. The incisions are small and heal on their own without sutures in the vast majority of cases.

After the surgery, you will go home with a protective eye shield over the eye and a pair of soft goggles to wear while sleeping for one week. You’ll start your prescribed eye drops the same evening. The next day you will return to Clearview for your 1-day post-op visit so we can check your healing and vision progress. Many patients are seeing clearer and more vibrant by the very first day after surgery!

We believe advanced technology should be a part of great care and laser cataract surgery is one of the tools that is a part of our routine care.

During cataract surgery, we use a small device that applies ultrasound energy to break up the natural lens inside the eye. With laser-assisted cataract surgery, laser energy is used to soften the cataract before the start of the procedure. As a result, less ultrasound energy is needed to break up the natural lens. Less ultrasound energy used can mean lower inflammation after surgery and quicker recovery.

The laser is also used to make a perfect opening in the center of the lens “capsule”, allowing more precise, predictable centration and positioning of the new lens implant. Traditionally, this opening in the capsule has been made manually. Studies have shown that the laser is more reliable at making a perfect circular opening than even the most experienced surgeons.

Finally, the laser can also be used to correct or reduce astigmatism by making small peripheral incisions on the cornea. Correcting astigmatism is the key to providing independence from glasses after surgery.

When you have your cataract surgery with Clearview, we will help you navigate all of the options available in modern cataract surgery and make sure you receive the safest, most customized care for your eyes.

The advanced Catalys® system uses cutting-edge features for superior results:

• 3D Imaging
• Gentle Laser Pulses
• Eye Tracking System
• Customizable Settings

• Real-time visual mapping of the eye
• Smooth lens fragmentation
• Maintains precision throughout the procedure
• Tailored treatment for each patient

Laser energy is applied only where needed, reducing tissue damage and post-op inflammation. The technology ensures a smooth cataract removal surgery.

While there is no perfect lens implant, there are several styles of intraocular lenses (IOLs). Each of these lenses perform best in certain situations. At Clearview, we are not beholden to a single manufacturer. We use any and all available lenses depending on a patient’s eyes and lifestyle.

• Monofocal Lenses – Provides the highest quality of vision with a limited range of vision (usually distance vision up to arms length). Monofocal lenses can be used to achieve blended vision (or monovision) to increase one’s range of vision without glasses by having one eye set for distance and one for near or intermediate. There is a subset of monofocal lenses called monofocal plus or intermediate-optimized lenses that aim to provide marginally improved vision at an intermediate range (~26 inches) without compromising quality of vision. Our most commonly used monofocal lenses are the Tecnis (including the Eyhance) and the enVista platform.

• Extended Depth‑of‑Focus (EDOF) - Provides an increased range of vision from distance to intermediate (computer distance). May have less halo or glare compared to a multifocal lens at the expense of some near vision. Our most commonly used EDOF lenses are the Symfony and Vivity.

• Multifocal Lenses – Offers a full range of vision in each eye, reducing the need for distance, computer, or reading glasses. May come with halos around bright lights at night (headlights/streetlights). Our most commonly used multifocal lenses are the Odyssey, Envy, and PanOptix Pro.

• Toric Lenses – Corrects higher amounts of astigmatism to increase independence from glasses. Toric lenses can be monofocal, EDOF, or multifocal. All of the above lenses come in a toric version depending on one’s level of pre-operative astigmatism.

• Light Adjustable Lens (LAL) - The LAL is uniquely different from other IOLs. It is an adjustable monofocal lens that can be used to correct one’s astigmatism and any unpredicted differences in the way one heals after surgery. UV light is used to fine-tune the “prescription” of the lens and improve the quality of one’s vision without glasses. Typically patients opt for “blended vision” using the LAL in order to achieve freedom from both distance and reading glasses. Patients are able to “test drive” their vision after each adjustment and iterative adjustments can be made according to one’s desires. Patients are provided UV-protective glasses and sunglasses after surgery to wear while awaiting adjustments and lock-ins. Ultimately, the lens is “locked in” once the adjustment process is complete and UV-protective glasses are no longer needed after that point. Treatments are usually initiated after one month of healing, with most patents being “locked in” by two months. This waiting period is up to three months for patients with a history radial keratotomy (RK).

• Pre-operative Eye Exams: Our doctors will determine the severity of one’s cataract and any other ocular conditions through a comprehensive eye exam including pupil dilation. Patients will receive tailored counseling on the options available to them for surgery and any cost associated with their choice. High quality measurements will be taken by an expert team of technicians and the surgeon will determine the lens power and type needed to deliver the best outcome for your needs.

• Medical History Review: Ensure suitability for anesthesia administration and surgery

• Medication Adjustments: Some drugs may need to be paused prior to surgery.

• Arrange Transportation: You cannot drive home from the surgery center after receiving anesthesia. Patients should have transportation arranged for their “one-day” post-operative visit.

• Fasting Guidelines: Follow specific instructions on eating and drinking prior to the surgery (typically fasting 8 hours prior to the procedure)

Our team will provide personalized pre-surgery instructions based on your cataract surgery plan.

• Moderate sedation given to ensure you are comfortable and relaxed during the procedure
• Quick and painless procedure – typically under 30 minutes in the operating room. There will be some sensations of light touch, cool water, and mild pressure around the eye, but there should be no pain

• Mild discomfort and blurred vision is normal in the immediate post-op period (within 12 hours)
• Avoid rubbing the eye or heavy lifting more than 25 pounds for about 2 weeks
• Use the prescribed eye drops to aid healing and recovery for about 4-5 weeks after surgery
• Full recovery within a few weeks. “Neuroadaptation”, which is the process of the brain learning to use the new lenses to their full potential can improve for 6-12 months

Astigmatism correction is critical in order to provide independence from glasses after cataract surgery. This correction can be achieved with a variety of methods

• Laser “Relaxing Incisions”: The laser described above is used to provide custom astigmatism correction for lower levels of astigmatism by a subtle reshaping of the cornea during the initial steps of the procedure.
• Toric Lenses: Intraocular lens with custom astigmatism correction for higher levels of astigmatism not able to be corrected with “relaxing incisions”.
• Light Adjustable Lens: A unique intraocular lens that provides astigmatism correction after UV light treatments. The LAL can provide increased precision with low to moderate levels of astigmatism and overcomes any differences in the way one heals after surgery. Traditionally, predictions are made about the level of astigmatism correction a patient needs based on their pre-operative measurements. The LAL flips the script and allows the patient to fully heal prior to their astigmatism correction. The remaining astigmatism once the patient heals is treated directly with the light treatments.

• Am I a good candidate?
• How to prepare for surgery?
• What to expect day of surgery?
• What to expect after surgery?
• Cataract Surgery Questions

Dr. Sandy T. Feldman and Dr. Michael L. Mathison at Clearview Eye and Laser Medical Center in San Diego are among the best cataract surgeons in San Diego. With years of experience in both laser eye surgery and cataract surgery, the team at Clearview combines state-of-the-art diagnostics with personalized treatment planning. The Clearview team is especially adept at providing great outcomes for patients with a history of radial keratotomy (RK), photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), LASIK, SMILE, implantable collamer lenses (ICL), and keratoconus

Schedule your cataract surgery consultation today to explore your options for clear, improved vision.

Ans: No, cataract surgery is not painful. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia with moderate sedation. Most patients feel only light touch and mild pressure during the procedure. Post-operative discomfort is very minimal and manageable with eye drops.

Ans: Most patients notice vision improvement within 24–48 hours. However, full cataract surgery recovery typically takes 2–4 weeks, during which you must avoid strenuous activities and follow your surgeon’s post-op care. There may be intangible improvements in the form of “neuroadaptation” for a full year after surgery.

Ans: Depending on the IOL you choose, you may reduce or eliminate the need for glasses. Our team will counsel you on appropriate expectations after surgery.

Ans: Preparation includes pre-operative exams, adjusting medications, arranging transportation, and following fasting instructions. Your team at Clearview will give personalized advice based on your health and eye condition.

Ans: Like all surgeries, cataract surgery carries risks such as infection, swelling, or retinal detachment. However, complications are quite rare. Cataract surgery boasts one of the highest success rates in medicine. Large studies demonstrate 95 to 98% of patients experience significant improvement in their vision. Cataract surgery is one of the most commonly performed surgeries in the world and boasts an exceptional satisfaction rate.

• Eat a nutrient-rich diet
• Protect eyes from UV rays
• Stop smoking
• Control health conditions like diabetes
• Schedule regular eye exams

Ans: Options include monofocal, extended depth of focus, and multifocal lenses. These lenses are offered in spherical and toric versions. More specifics on the different types of IOLs are outlined above. Your Clearview team will help you choose the best fit for your visual goals.