SMART Cataract Surgery
SMART Cataract Surgery is a procedure designed to combine the latest and most precise equipment in cataract surgery – the LenSx Femtosecond Laser with the most accurate technology in intraocular lens selection – the Optiwave Refractive Analysis (ORA) – to give you the most customized vision correction available.
SMART Cataract Surgery with LenSx® Laser and ORA Technology
New Eyes is one of the first practices in the nation able to offer the most incredibly accurate and precise cataract surgery without the need for a surgical blade. Using SMART Cataract Surgery technology, New Eyes cataract surgeons Helga F. Pizio, MD, Ksenia Stafeeva, MD, Roman Fajardo, MD, and Emily Schorr, MD combine the LenSx® Femtosecond Laser system with the Optiwave Refractive Analysis (ORA) to more precisely remove cataracts and more accurately predict the power of the intraocular lens implant. We are very excited and proud to bring to Las Vegas the combination of the most advanced technology in laser cataract surgery and lens implant accuracy which will result in optimal vision correction for distance, near, or both.
Please contact New Eyes for more information on our advanced SMART Cataract Surgery procedure for the best correction of your vision.
Dr. Pizio did cataract surgery on both my eyes. I have claustrophobia and she went above and beyond to address it. She has a wonderful, happy and professional beside manner that makes you feel appreciated and comfortable. Her staff is great and they do wonders to get you in as soon as possible. Thank you all.
Terry Carlson
September 18, 2017
Benefits of Laser Cataract Surgery
The LenSx Femtosecond Laser is an all-laser technique designed to remove cataracts more safely and precisely than by conventional means. With laser cataract surgery, a small beam of laser energy makes it possible for New Eyes surgeons to remove cataracts without the need for a surgical blade. This laser procedure provides many benefits to cataract patients, including:
- Precision – The LenSx Laser makes the most precise incisions for cataract surgery compared to any other technique
- Safety – LenSx Laser makes corneal incisions and assists cataract removal without a surgical blade
- Astigmatism Correction – LenSx laser can correct for astigmatism with very accurate corneal incisions
- Customized Treatment – Each LenSx Laser treatment is completely customized to the individual patient
Laser Cataract Surgery vs. Traditional Cataract Surgery
When performing cataract surgery, your surgeon can utilize either the traditional method or SMART Cataract Surgery (laser cataract surgery). Both techniques are widely used and considered to be safe and effective for addressing cataracts, but they are accomplished using different instruments. With traditional cataract surgery, a surgical blade (scalpel) is used to make incisions in the cornea and lens capsule. Alternatively, with SMART Cataract Surgery, these same incisions can be made with a precise laser. Based on your individual case, Dr. Pizio, Dr. Stafeeva, Dr. Schorr, or Dr. Fajardo can determine the surgical approach that is most appropriate for providing the best possible results.
The Laser Cataract Surgery Procedure
The removal of cataracts with the LenSx Femtosecond Laser is performed by New Eyes surgeons at the Green Valley Surgery Center. The LenSx Laser uses the sophisticated technology called OCT (Ocular Coherence Tomography) to provide our New Eyes surgeon with an incredibly precise and detailed image of the inside of your eye. Then, your surgeon customizes the treatment plan for your eye and guides the LenSx laser to create small incisions on the cornea, incision of the anterior covering of the cataract, and then fragment the cataract. This makes it possible for our surgeon to remove the cataract more easily and safely and correct for astigmatism. Once the LenSx Laser has completed the incisions, the cataract is removed and an intraocular implant is placed in the eye for vision correction. Your surgeon will discuss which intraocular lens (IOL) is the best choice for you to correct for distance vision, near vision, or both.
And now for the first time in Las Vegas, LenSx Femtosecond Laser is performed in conjunction with Optiwave Refractive Analysis (ORA) technology to give patients the most accurate and precise procedure we branded SMART Cataract Surgery.
SMART Cataract Surgery with Optiwave Refractive Analysis – ORA
SMART Cataract Surgery is a procedure designed to combine the latest and most precise equipment in cataract surgery – the LenSx Femtosecond Laser with the most accurate technology in intraocular lens selection – the Optiwave Refractive Analysis (ORA) – to give you the most customized vision correction available.
Traditional techniques are limited in their ability to exactly measure your eye for an intraocular lens (IOL) implant. The new technology called Optiwave Refractive Analysis (ORA) was developed to reduce this margin of error in making the best selection of an intraocular lens for your eye. The ORA is a laser attached to the operating microscope and is used by your surgeon to more accurately measure your eye during the surgery. Your surgeon selects the best IOL for your eye based on these measurements and can then “TEST DRIVE” the IOL by repeating the measurements before leaving the operating room.
ORA is a breakthrough technology for lens selection especially for patients with difficult problems such as astigmatism, mature advanced cataracts, and patients who have had previous LASIK, PRK, or RK.
Presbyopia Treatment with LenSx® Femtosecond Laser Surgery and ORA
With the precision of the LenSx Femtosecond Laser, accuracy of the ORA measurements, and our highest technology multifocal intraocular lenses, New Eyes can offer patients with presbyopia the most advanced treatment available to correct distance and near vision without glasses or contacts.
Presbyopia affects patients over the age of 40, causing a decreased ability to focus on objects at distance and near simultaneously. Presbyopia results in the need for reading glasses in most people. The LenSx Femtosecond Laser and ORA combined with a multifocal intraocular lens can significantly reduce the need for wearing glasses or contact lenses.
Laser Cataract Surgery Recovery
The recovery period after SMART Cataract Surgery can vary for each patient, depending on how their body heals. However, many patients experience a shorter recovery time, as compared to traditional cataract surgery. This is likely due in part to the fact that the advanced laser used in place of a scalpel often causes less trauma to the eye during surgery.
Patients should arrange to have a friend or family member drive them home after surgery, as their vision will be temporarily impaired.
After surgery, patients may notice mild discomfort and/or itching, as well as some sensitivity to light, but these side effects should subside within a few days. Vision improvement is typically apparent within 24 hours of surgery, and should continue to improve throughout the healing process. To facilitate recovery, your surgeon will prescribe medicated eye drops and provide you with specific post-op instructions. Additionally, follow-up appointments will be scheduled to ensure you are healing properly.
Full recovery from laser cataract surgery usually takes approximately three months, but the majority of patients can return to their daily routine one or two days after the procedure.
Are There Any Side Effects to Laser Cataract Surgery?
Aside from blurry vision, sensitivity to light, itching, tenderness, or other mild discomfort (all of which should be temporary), it is uncommon for patients to develop side effects after laser cataract surgery. In extremely rare cases, however, patients may develop a condition called capsular opacification. Symptoms of capsular opacification are similar to that of a cataract, but the cloudy vision is actually caused by the membrane that held the eye’s natural lens (lens capsule). In these cases, clear vision can be restored through a relatively simple treatment using a specialized laser.
The surgeons at New Eyes take great care to ensure the safety and efficacy of SMART Cataract Surgery, so complications after the procedure are also extremely rare. In your consultation, your surgeon can discuss all potential risks as well as the steps we take to avoid them.
How Much Does Laser Cataract Surgery Cost?
The cost of SMART Cataract Surgery differs for each patient, due to the highly customizable nature of the procedure, but Medicare and many other types of insurance typically cover at least a portion of the cost. To help cover the remainder of the expense, we offer financing options for qualified patients. Some of the variables that can potentially affect the overall price include the experience of your surgeon, type of IOL selected, prescribed medications, surgical and anesthesia fees, and more. To provide you with a more accurate idea of what to expect, we can provide you with a personalized price quote during your initial consultation.
Schedule an appointment with a New Eyes surgeon for your personalized evaluation to see if you are a candidate for SMART Cataract Surgery to eliminate your need for glasses or contacts.