Cataract Surgery

Are you searching for a cataract surgeon in Houston, Texas?

There are very few treatments in medicine that offer the dramatically rapid, safe, and comfortable functional improvements of cataract surgery.

If you think of your eye like a camera, the lens of the eye is similar to the lens of a camera. The lens helps to focus the light that hits the retina, or film of the camera. The natural lens inside our eyes become cloudy as we age. This cloudiness blocks light and is called a cataract. Just like grey hair, heredity can influence how fast and in what pattern cataracts develop, but we all develop cataracts over time.

Certain conditions such as diabetes, trauma, and previous ocular surgery can speed the progression of cataracts.

Cataract surgery becomes necessary when the cataract interferes with your visual function, and your vision cannot be adequately improved with non-surgical means such as glasses or contact lenses. For most people, this is in the range of 20/50 or worse vision on the eye chart.

Cataract surgery is an outpatient procedure that is very successful for the vast majority of patients. It is performed one eye at a time with a few weeks between eyes. You will need to have a physical exam by your primary care physician (or the physician who best knows your health history such as a cardiologist, internist, or pediatrician) to clear you for surgery. Prior to your cataract surgery, measurements need to be taken to determine the correct power of the intraocular lens to be placed into the eye.

Dr. Vital’s secretary will tell you where your surgery will be and what time to arrive. You will schedule the date of your surgery with her. If you have a problem and need to cancel or reschedule your surgery, it is very important to notify her and the surgery center as soon as possible.

You will be given a packet of information about drops and preparations for your surgery. You will be instructed not to eat or drink anything after midnight prior to your surgery. When you arrive at the surgery center, your eye will be numbed by either eye drops or an injection. For your comfort, you will be put to sleep for approximately 5 minutes if the injection is performed.

You will then be brought into the operating room. You will be awake but drowsy. The exception to this is general anesthesia, in which you are put to sleep for the duration of the surgery. Most of the time, cataract surgery is performed under local anesthesia not general anesthesia.

Most times the cataract surgery itself lasts approximately 15 minutes or less. Plan for the entire outpatient surgery process to last all day, and do not make plans for other activities on the same day as surgery. At the end of the surgery, you will be brought to the recovery room with an eye patch in place and will be given postoperative instructions. You will need someone to drive you home after surgery.

Zepto Cataract Surgery

Zepto cataract surgery is the latest in gentle techniques for creating a lens capsulotomy during cataract surgery. This is often the most critical and challenging step of cataract surgery. Zepto is highly precise, creating a round, stencil-like opening rather than one made by hand to help produce the best surgical outcomes and reduce complications. Zepto technology creates a stronger capsulotomy as compared to those made by hand or by femtosecond laser cataract surgery methods. An added benefit for patients is that Zepto costs much less than the femtosecond laser.

Zepto is a fantastic option for patients receiving either standard or premium, toric intraocular lenses. It can be used in standard cataract surgery as well as in complex cataract surgery cases. The availability of Zepto allows Dr. Vital to provide more options to customize each cataract surgery for the best possible results. Dr. Vital will help to determine if Zepto could be right for you during a one-on-one consultation.

Learn more about Zepto cataract surgery

Most patients will be seen for postoperative visits according to the following schedule:

  • 1 day postoperatively
  • 2 weeks postoperatively (for first refraction and evaluation of the second cataract)
  • 4 weeks postoperatively (for final refraction and glasses prescription).

Most patients will need glasses or contact lenses after cataract surgery to get their best vision. Some patients may be very happy and see well enough without corrective lenses after surgery that they choose not to wear them. If you have questions regarding specialty or premium intraocular lenses please arrange a visit to discuss this further.

The risks of eye surgery are generally low but can include: pain, bleeding, infection, partial or total loss of vision, the need for more surgery, corneal failure, glaucoma, cataract, capsule rupture, retinal detachment, and retinal swelling. Although these problems are rare, they can occur, and you need to be aware of them before deciding to have surgery.

If you have any questions, please contact my office at 713-668-6828 x2395.