Cataract Surgery
The lens in your eye behaves much like the lens of a camera. It takes in light, focuses images, it can suffer from wear and tear and ultimately, it can be replaced. Cataract surgery removes a clouded lens and replaces it with a new, synthetic lens, improving both the quality of your vision and the quality of your life.
Cataract surgery has come a long way since the first artificial lens was implanted during the 1940’s. What used to require an overnight hospital stay and a lengthy recovery can now be one of the simplest surgeries performed. While the same basic technique of removing the natural lens and replacing it with an artificial lens remains the same, surgical methods have kept pace with advances in technology.
When to Consider Cataract Surgery
Eventually, despite the best efforts of new glasses, cataract symptoms progress to the point of requiring Advanced Laser Cataract Surgery. Once cataracts have reached this point, waiting too long is ill-advised due to a litany of potential hazards that often arise. First and foremost, adults with moderate to significant cataracts are involved in far more motor vehicle accidents than age-related peers who have had previous cataract surgery. Second, trip and fall accidents, which can cause potentially fatal broken hips and bones, are also more common with untreated advanced cataracts. When it is determined that cataract surgery is the best option to correct your vision, the procedure is straightforward and quick, producing excellent results.
Almost every comprehensive ophthalmologist does a multitude of different types of eye surgeries, totally unrelated to cataracts. Drs. Mendelsohn and Chaleff have made laser cataract surgery to be their exclusive surgical focus, thereby performing superb, meticulous, cataract surgery with fantastic visual outcomes for their grateful patients. Together they have performed far more than 35,000 cataract surgeries. Dr. Mendelsohn and Dr. Chaleff remain extremely involved with your pre-operative and post-operative care, every step of the way, with all patients provided with their personal cell phone numbers. This is an important contrast to the vast majority of other high volume cataract surgery practices where the postoperative care is almost always delegated to other staff members.
Drs. Mendelsohn and Chaleff specialize in advanced laser cataract surgery, performing highly customized procedures utilizing advanced 3D imaging. Laser cataract surgery is far more accurate, far more safe, and enables the most rapid recovery as compared to cataract surgery without the laser. Lasers allow our surgeons to make gentle, ultraprecise incisions in the lens and cornea, thereby producing better visual outcomes. The corneal incision is extremely small and the cornea heals itself quickly, so no stitches are needed. No patches or injections to the eye are required for this five-minute procedure, after which, a new lens (known as an intraocular lens or IOL) is then inserted in place of the old lens. With this technique, cataract surgery is virtually pain free, and the actual lens implant can be completed in minutes. In fact, most patients are back to their normal activities the very next day.
We are delighted to let you know that we offer cataract surgery with the AcrySof® family of lenses – the most advanced and trusted intraocular lenses (IOLs) in the world. Dr. Alan Mendelsohn and Dr. Alec Chaleff utilize lens implants that have UV blocker and blue light filtration, features that are vitally important to South Floridians. With the AcrySof® PanOptix Pro multifocal IOLs, our surgeons can not only correct most patients’ cataracts but also enable them to see near, far, and everywhere in between. Their patients now enjoy the ability to read, drive and work on the computer without the need of glasses or bifocals. Dr. Alan Mendelsohn and his wife, Caryl, are the beneficiaries of the technology, having had laser cataract surgery with multifocal lens implants, both seeing perfect 20/20 for distance, intermediate, and near without correction with glasses or contact lenses!
Previously, if an individual had a moderate to large amount of astigmatism, their vision could not be fully corrected at the time of cataract surgery, resulting in the need for full-time eyeglass. However, thanks to a wonderful technological breakthrough, an AcrySof® Toric IOL can now be implanted at the time of cataract surgery to improve quality distance vision and decrease these patients’ dependency on glasses.
Obtaining outstanding visual outcomes is of paramount importance to Drs. Mendelsohn and Chaleff. The vast majority of eye surgeons utilize one instrument to make pre-operative ultrasound measurements, often performed by a single ophthalmic tech. Our physicians at Eye Surgeons & Consultants have two techs, who specialize in these preoperative measurements, each independently perform these scans on both the Zeiss IOL Master 700 https://www.zeiss.com/
There is always a risk of complication or infection for any surgical procedure; however, there are steps to address any issues that may arise. Of great import, every patient is examined by one of our physicians at Eye Surgeons & Consultants at each appointment, never delegating this important care. One of our three physicians can be reached 365/24/7 with questions or concerns. Prior to the procedure, our physicians will discuss these risks and address any questions or concerns you may have. Obtaining outstanding visual outcomes is of paramount importance to Drs. Mendelsohn and Chaleff.
If you are interested in scheduling your cataract surgery at Eye Surgeons and Consultants of Hollywood, Florida, please be sure to call (954)894-1500 to book your consultation!