Cataract Surgery Cape Coral
Are you looking for an experienced ophthalmologist and surgeon for your cataract surgery in Cape Coral? Dr. Elmquist is board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and has been selected as one of America’s Top Doctors by Castle Connolly Medical Ltd. He has been providing exceptional eye care to the residents of Southwest Florida for over 25 years.
Dr. Elmquist and his partner, Kate Wagner, OD, and associate, Nina Burt, OD, both board certified optometrists, provide services for every member of the family, from eye exams to the diagnosis, evaluation and treatment of cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, dry eyes, presbyopia, myopia, hyperopia, and a variety of other eye conditions.
How Do Cataracts Occur?
A cataract occurs when the normally clear lens of your eye gets cloudy. Most of the time, the condition develops in older individuals, but according to the National Eye Institute, more than 24.5 million Americans over the age of 40 are affected by them. By the age of 80, more than 50% of Americans have cataracts or have had cataract surgery to remove them. Cataracts can develop in one or both eyes but do not spread from one eye to the other.
While most cataracts are age-related, cataracts also occur in babies or young children (called congenital cataracts). And they can be caused by a traumatic eye injury, by excessive exposure to ultraviolet light, by the use of certain medications, including prednisone and corticosteroids, and by certain diseases, such as diabetes.
Cataract Symptoms
Most cataracts develop very gradually. Although they eventually lead to vision loss, this may many years to happen. You may not notice any symptoms until the cataract has progressed and you experience trouble with reading or difficulty with night vision. Here are some of the other common symptoms:
- Cloudy, dim or blurry vision
- Difficulty seeing at night or in low light
- Sensitivity to halos and glare from lights
- Colors look faded or yellowed
- Brighter light is needed for reading and other activities
- Frequent eyeglass prescription changes
- Double vision in one eye
If you experience any of these symptoms and they interfere with your day-to-day activities, you should schedule an appointment for an eye exam at Elmquist Eye Center and bring them to the attention of your eye doctor as soon as you begin to notice them. Some of these cataract symptoms can also be symptoms of other serious eye conditions.
Cataract Surgery Overview
Cataract surgery today is more advanced than ever, and can produce excellent results. Elmquist Eye Group will first perform a series of tests to determine the severity of your cataracts, discuss the treatment options with you, and help you decide when the time is right to consider cataract surgery.
During cataract surgery, Dr. Elmquist will gently numb your eye so that you won’t feel discomfort and use ultrasound vibrations to break up the cloudy lens. The fragments of the cataract are then removed using gentle suction, and the artificial lens (intraocular lens or IOL) you have selected is inserted.
The entire procedure takes less than 30 minutes, and most patients notice an immediate improvement in their vision. For some, it may take a short time to adjust to halos and glare around lights, but this usually goes away over time.
At Elmquist Eye Group, we now offer bladeless laser-assisted cataract surgery which is designed to improve the precision, safety and accuracy of cataract surgery. The FDA-approved laser automates three steps of the surgery that previously had to be done manually.
Schedule an eye exam at Elmquist Eye Group in Cape Coral or Fort Myers if you think you may need cataract surgery, and learn about the latest options in treatment and lens technology. Call us today at (239) 936-2020 to get started on restoring your clear vision.