Cataract Surgery
When cataracts cloud your vision, certain everyday activities like reading, driving at night, and recognizing your loved ones' faces become more difficult.
Cataract surgery can remove the cloudy lens and improve your vision with an intraocular lens (IOL).
Maynor & Mitchell Eye Center in Huntsville, AL, is a leader in cataract surgery, providing effective treatment using advanced laser technology.
Understanding Cataracts and How Surgery Helps
The lens of your eye is normally clear and helps focus light on the retina, allowing you to see crisp images. A cataract is a clouding of the lens that occurs when an injury, medical condition, or the natural aging process causes the proteins and fibers in the lens to break down. Symptoms include:
- Sensitivity to light
- Double vision in one eye
- Seeing halos around lights
- Fading or yellowing of colors
- Clouded, blurry, or dimmed vision
- Frequent changes in eyeglass prescriptions
- The need for brighter light for certain activities
- Difficulty reading, driving at night, or seeing faces
Many of our Alabama patients who have cataracts don't notice until the condition starts to affect their vision. While better lighting and stronger prescriptions can improve your ability to see with cataracts, cataract surgery may eventually be required once the condition starts affecting your daily activities. Cataract surgery removes the cloudy lens and replaces it with an intraocular lens that can improve your sight.
Cataract Surgery Is Common
According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, cataract surgery is the most commonly performed ophthalmic surgical operation in the United States. More than 20.5 million Americans age 40 and older have cataracts and 6.1 million Americans have had cataract surgery.
How Cataracts Look
Putting Patients at Ease
Andrew Aldridge
Huntsville, AL
2024
Excellent care. My health concerns have been minimized through our engagements. Great team here and clean facility.
View on Googletonda neal
Huntsville, AL
2024
The doctors and staff are very friendly. The after hours answered my questions quickly and put my mind at ease
View on GoogleOur Cataract Surgery Packages
Basic Package
This package includes basic measurements, basic bladed surgery, and a standard lens implant. This option is best for patients who want to continue wearing glasses after surgery.
Advanced Package
This package includes advanced measurements, ORA-guided surgery, toric lenses if necessary, and the correction of mild to moderate astigmatism. This package is best for patients who have astigmatism and want to correct their far vision but can wear glasses for near activities.
Premium Package
This package includes advanced measurements, ORA-guided surgery, multifocal lenses, and the correction of mild to moderate astigmatism. It is best for patients who want the best vision at all distances and freedom from glasses for most activities.
Cutting-Edge Surgery
Using CATALYS
While other methods like phacoemulsification and extracapsular cataract extraction can be used to remove cataracts, our doctors at Maynor & Mitchell Eye Center in Huntsville, AL, can perform cataract surgery using lasers. Laser cataract surgery provides more precise, accurate results than extracapsular extraction and phacoemulsification.
Our Huntsville optometrist office uses the CATALYS® laser, which features the INTEGRAL GUIDANCE System™. This creates 3D images of the patient's eyes before and during surgery so our doctors can provide the best possible results. In addition to offering greater precision, laser cataract surgery results in cleaner incisions, reducing recovery time and enhancing healing.
Cataract Surgery Using Lasers A Step-by-Step Look at the Procedure
After a consultation with one of our ophthalmologists in Huntsville, AL, we will schedule your cataract surgery if we determine you're a good candidate. Cataract surgery typically takes about 10-15 minutes to complete and involves several steps:
Cataract surgery is almost always an outpatient procedure, meaning you can go home after surgery.
Recovering After Your Surgery
It's normal for your vision to be blurry immediately following cataract surgery, but it will improve in the following days and weeks. While a full recovery from cataract surgery takes about four weeks, most patients notice an improvement in their vision in just a few days. Once your cataracts are removed, be sure to follow all guidelines given to you by your doctor.
Relieving Discomfort
Topical anesthetic is used during surgery and there are no stitches required to close your incisions, so recovery is fairly quick and painless. While many of our Alabama patients feel no pain after the procedure, you may experience some grittiness and discomfort in your eye. However, it can be managed with over-the-counter pain medication.
Return to Normal Activities
In most cases, our Huntsville patients can resume normal activities one to three days after surgery, though things may look blurry during activities like reading or watching TV. Try to avoid strenuous activities like lifting weights for two weeks and refrain from swimming for about a month to minimize intraocular pressure and to avoid infection.
"I've had cataract surgery on both eyes with DR Mitchell, who is very thorough and informative, while spending adequate time listening to concerns and answering any questions... DR Mitchell, with his warm, caring disposition put me at ease with his respect and compassion... I continue to be a patient here."
Kimberly Sweeton
