Improved Accuracy for Cataract Patients with Custom Cataract Laser

It's a fact of life that over time your eyes begin to fade as the crisp images and vibrant colors of life seem to disappear. This affects most of life's activities from reading, driving, being active, enjoying nature, and much more. The Eye Institute of Utah is pleased to offer its patients the first LenSx® custom cataract laser in Utah. Results show this laser is up to 10x more accurate than manual cataract surgery using a blade, thus providing more predictable results for cataract patients who want to attain the highest quality of vision.

Cataracts are the most common reason for reduced vision as we get older.

What Are Cataracts?
Cataracts cloud the lens of the eye which causes blurred or reduced vision at all distances. In a healthy eye, light passes through the lens and is focused on the retina, which in turn transfers the image into nerve signals that are sent to the brain. As cataracts form, the lens of the eye becomes clouded and the images sent to the retina are not as sharp and vibrant as they once were. This condition generally develops gradually and can appear as early as age 40. By age 80, over half of the population has had cataracts in one or both eyes.

What is Available to Treat Cataracts?
Cataract patients have typically undergone surgery to replace the natural lens of the eye with an artificial intraocular lens, or IOL. This procedure is called standard cataract surgery and is covered by most insurance plans including Medicare. These IOLs are effective in restoring vision and the patient will never again develop a cataract. Although these standard IOLs produce clear vision, patients may still need glasses or contacts to focus on objects at near, far, or both due to remaining astigmatism and presbyopia.

Custom Cataract Surgery involves the use of special advanced technology IOLs and techniques that are specifically designed to help people see near and far. These special IOLs and techniques have been very successful in helping people reduce or eliminate their dependency on glasses by decreasing astigmatism and presbyopia.

Custom Cataract Laser
Until now, standard cataract procedures and custom cataract surgeries were performed manually where the surgeon used a blade for all incisions. A manual procedure allows for a margin of error that can increase risks and negatively affect outcomes. With the introduction of LenSx®, the first FDA approved Custom Cataract Laser, surgeons at The Eye Institute of Utah now have the ability to create incisions and potentially reduce astigmatism without blades. These incisions are proven to be more accurate and precise, thus eliminating some of the variables that have complicated cataract surgery in the past. Recent results show that the Custom Cataract Laser is up to 10x more precise than manual techniques for some portions of the cataract surgical procedure. This type of laser precision, combined with the experience of world-class cataract surgeons is available at The Eye Institute of Utah. By being more accurate and precise, visual outcomes are more predictable.

The Custom Cataract Laser is Not Just for Cataract Patients
Custom Cataract Laser Surgery uses similar technology to that of blade-free LASIK surgery. Most people understand that blade-free LASIK is more accurate and safe, however, most people don't understand that LASIK is usually not the best vision correction option for those who are over 45. This is due to the fact that LASIK cannot prevent presbyopia. People who are over 45 and elect to have LASIK may still need glasses or contacts for close-up vision because the natural lens inside the eye still continues to change with age...

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