Cataract Surgery in Northeast Pennsylvania

Cataracts are a natural clouding of the lens of the eye, resulting in blurred vision. A common condition, occurring in 91% of Americans aged 75 and over, cataracts can be treated with an innovative laser surgery or ultrasound-based extraction performed at Northeastern Eye Institute’s state-of-the-art Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) by one of our experienced, board-certified eye surgeons.

doctor and patient standing
How Cataract Surgery Works?
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Cataract extraction at Northeastern Eye Institute is an outpatient procedure that tipically requires no stitches and allows patients to return home the same day as the cataract surgery.

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Cataract surgery offered at our ambulatory surgical center (ASC) is very successful in restoring vision and is among one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures in the United States. Nearly two million cataract surgeries are performed each year, with over 90% of patients regaining excellent vision.

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During the cataract procedure, our board-certified ophthalmologists will remove your naturally cloudy lens and replace it with a clear, artificial intraocular lens known as an IOL.

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Northeastern Eye Institute has IOLs that will allow you to be less dependant on glasses. As the leading provider of cataract extraction surgery in the Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Hazleton and the northeastern Pennsylvania region, Northeastern Eye Institute uses premier IOLs including Toric lens, Multi focal IOLs, extended depth of field IOLs, Trifocal IOLs.

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Advanced or premium lens implants or multifocal IOLs can eliminate or greatly reduce the need for contacts or glasses for distance and near vision including reading ability for post-cataract patients. However, such premium lenses are not covered by insurance.

If you have cataracts or are experiencing changes in your vision, please contact our eye doctors in Northeastern Pennsylvania at 855-204-6888 to schedule your eye exam today. The Northeastern Eye Institutes have 15 locations including a surgical center in Scranton for cataract surgery, retina problems, LASIK and other vision correction procedures.

Custom Laser Cataract Surgery

No two people have eyes that are exactly alike. Your eyes have a unique size, depth, and curvature that differentiate them from everyone else’s. It is important to customize your cataract surgery procedure to ensure that the distinctive properties of your eyes are considered.

A computerized laser is used to make highly precise incisions in your eye. The use of a laser significantly increases the accuracy of these incisions compared with blade-created incisions used in traditional cataract surgery techniques. As a result, our ophthalmologists are able to carefully measure and map out the unique properties of your eyes prior to your surgery, ensuring a truly customized procedure.

doctor checking eye
Intraocular Lens Implants (IOLs)

Traditional lens implants during cataract surgery typically provided good distance vision. However, most patients will still need reading glasses following surgery, and others may need glasses for astigmatism or distance vision. Such lens implants are generally covered by insurance. Modern lens implants open the possibility of correcting astigmatism as well as near vision, thereby greatly reducing or potentially eliminating the need for glasses following cataract surgery.

Our board-certified eye surgeons at Northeastern Eye Institute choose from a variety of advanced lens implants depending upon the prescription and ocular condition of the patient. Also known as premium lens implants, the advanced IOLs preferred by our ophthalmologist include:

  • ReSTOR® Multifocal Lens
  • Tecnis Multifocal Lens
  • Toric Lens for Astigmatism

The choice of lens is dependent upon the patient’s prescription and his or her vision goals and needs.

There are many benefits to an advanced lens implant:

  • Better range of vision: Following cataract surgery, most patients implanted with a premium lens will have excellent near and distance vision, plus good intermediate vision without reading glasses or bifocals. Many patients have their vision improved to the point that they would be able to pass the visual acuity portion of the driver’s license exam in most states without corrective eyewear.
  • The ability to read quickly and easily: Depending upon the lens, patients experience a vast improvement in reading and near vision capabilities, enabling them to read newspapers, labels, and other close-up objects.
  • Better vision for various lighting situations: An advanced, premium lens delivers quality vision for various lighting situations, similar to the way the eye naturally adjusts to a change in brightness. In brightly lit conditions, the central diffractive portion of the lens sends light waves simultaneously to both near and distant focal points. In dimly lit conditions, the surrounding refractive area uses greater energy for distance vision.
ReSTOR®/PanOptix Multifocal Lens Implants

The innovative AcrySof® ReSTOR® IOL by Alcon, popularly known as the ReSTOR® Lens, now provides cataract surgery patients with good or improved vision at near, far, and all distances in between—to a degree not previously possible using conventional or standard IOLs.

The ReSTOR® IOL is not moved by the ciliary muscles. Instead, built-in concentric steps create circular areas across the lens that react to light differently. The center step contributes to near vision and as the steps move towards the periphery, provides distance vision. The ReSTOR® IOL is made of a proprietary material called AcrySof®.

With the ReSTOR® Multifocal Lens, 80% of patients in a clinical trial reported being able to read, drive, and do other tasks after having the lens implanted in both eyes without having to wear glasses, compared to only 8% of patients with monofocal IOL lenses.

However, as with many things, there may be a tradeoff. Before cataract surgery, discuss all the benefits and risks of the AcrySof® ReSTOR® IOL with your Northeastern Eye Institute ophthalmologist.

checking eye with glass
Tecnis IOL

The Tecnis IOL is a clear intraocular lens (IOL) that replaces the eye’s natural lens and restores vision including night vision. While some people notice vision improvement immediately, most will see clearer the following day.

The unique design of the Tecnis IOL provides many benefits. The lens addresses the spherical aberrations in the cornea. The Tecnis IOL can allow for vision correction far superior to traditional lenses, and the correction comparable to the eyesight of a young adult.

Though some patients may require corrective lenses in some situations after their procedure, most will enjoy excellent vision. The haziness and blurred vision of cataracts disappear, and color vision returns to full saturation. Controlled studies have shown that the Tecnis IOL provides up to a 31% improvement in contrast sensitivity in normal light conditions compared to traditional lenses.

Perhaps most impressive is the improvement in night vision with the Tecnis IOL. Studies have shown that patients enjoy up to a 53% improvement in contrast sensitivity in low-light conditions over traditional lenses. Ability to detect a pedestrian while driving at night was significantly greater with the Tecnis IOL in direct comparison with a control lens. Many patients report that after their procedure they regain confidence to drive at night.

The Tecnis lens also has concentric areas that react to light differently. However, its design is based on Wavefront technology data: the same technology used for laser vision correction (Custom LASIK). This corrects myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, and other vision defects in the same way as LASIK and corrective lens, and provides better night vision than standard IOLs.

As with any surgery, there are some risks associated with the Tecnis lens. Though rare, the eye may react adversely to the intraocular lens, resulting in infection, inflammation, and/or thinning of the cornea. Prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses may be necessary in some situations following implantation of the Tecnis lens.

Toric IOL Options for Astigmatism

Astigmatism is a condition that occurs when the cornea has an oval shape instead of a spherical shape and causes blurry vision at all distances. Toric IOLs are designed to compensate for this while simultaneously correcting near and distance vision in the same way as glasses or contact lenses. These IOLs are known as “Premium Lenses” because of this double correction.

A toric lens can be implanted during cataract surgery to correct a patient’s astigmatism, thereby eliminating or reducing the need for glasses following cataract surgery. While cataract surgery can improve distance vision, a Toric lens is an excellent solution to correct astigmatism during the same procedure, further reducing the need for eyewear following the surgery.

The FDA approved the AcrySof® IQ Toric IOL (Alcon) in September 2005. Toric IOLs can correct 1.50 to 3.00 D of astigmatism. This lens also is available in aspheric versions for crisper vision. Different models can filter potentially damaging ultra-violet or blue light.

Risks include poor vision due to the lens rotating out of position, with the possibility of further surgery to reposition or replace the IOL. These can be discussed with your cataract surgeon at Northeastern Eye Institute.

checking eye with machine in hand
Cataract surgery options

Our Cataract Surgery Doctors

The primary benefit of choosing custom laser cataract surgery
  • High-resolution 3D imaging technology to map your eye during the planning phase of your procedure.
  • Image-guided surgical planning software that provides our ophthalmologists with the most accurate way to program the shape, size, and location of your incisions.
    • Touch-screen graphic user interface which allows our cataract surgeons to customize every aspect of your procedure.
    • Increased predictability of visual outcomes
    • Reduction in inflammation during surgery
    • Improved safety
    • Increased comfort

FAQs

A cataract is a clouding of your eye’s natural lens. It is a common age-related vision condition, impacting approximately 91% of Americans over the age of 75. Over time, cataracts will become more advanced, causing your lens to become increasingly clouded. If left untreated, cataracts can eventually lead to blindness. However, the condition is easily treated with surgery.

Cataract surgery is performed on an outpatient basis. Our ophthalmologists will make a small incision in your eye in order to remove your clouded natural lens and replace it with a clear, artificial intraocular lens (IOL). The procedure is very safe and effective. At Northeastern Eye Institute, we offer laser cataract surgery which provides the highest levels of precision and accuracy available.

At Northeastern Eye Institute, we offer a wide range of IOL options. Traditional IOLs are monofocal, which means they are only able to focus clearly at one distance. If you choose this IOL option, you will most likely still require glasses for near-vision tasks.

We also offer premium IOL options which can help you see clearly at multiple distances. The IOL you choose will play a significant role in the vision you achieve following cataract surgery. Some of the premium IOL options we offer include:

  • Crystalens — This IOL provides sharp, clear vision at multiple distances. The same muscles that are used to control the shape of your eye’s natural lens will be used to help your new IOL focus clearly.
  • ReSTOR — ReSTOR also provides clear vision at all distances. However, it works differently than the Crystalens IOL. A series of concentric steps are built into the lens, each of which reacts differently to light. This allows the lens to focus at a variety of distances.
  • Tecnis IOL — The Tecnis IOL provides clear vision at a variety of distances and significantly improves night vision. You can experience up to a 53% improvement in contrast sensitivity in low light conditions with the Tecnis IOL.
  • Toric IOL — These IOLs are an excellent option if you need to correct for astigmatism.

Recovery after cataract surgery is relatively minor. You’ll need to rest at home for 2-3 days after surgery. Our ophthalmologists will give you eye drops to use for several weeks in order to facilitate proper healing.

You will generally start seeing an improvement in your vision within a few days of your procedure. Depending on the IOL used with your procedure, you may still require glasses for reading. In addition, if you have astigmatism and don’t choose a Toric IOL that corrects for this condition, you’ll still need glasses after surgery.

Cataract surgery is extremely safe and complications are very rare. However, there is a certain degree of risk associated with all surgical procedures. Potential complications from cataract surgery include:

  • Inflammation
  • Infection
  • Swelling
  • Bleeding

The cost of cataract surgery varies based on a variety of factors, including:

  • The type of procedure you undergo (laser cataract surgery is more expensive than traditional cataract surgery)
  • The type of IOL you choose
  • Your insurance coverage

Most health insurance plans will cover the cost of traditional cataract surgery and standard IOLs. However, your plan may not cover the full cost of laser cataract surgery or premium IOLs. During your consultation, we’ll discuss our financing options in order to ensure your procedure fits into your budget.

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