Cataract Services

About Cataract Surgery

Ad Astra Eye: A Premier Cataract Surgery Center

In the United States, there are 24 million people who are affected by cataracts, and half of those over the age of 75 have cataracts.

Worldwide, there are 39 million people who are completely blind from cataracts, making it the leading cause of blindness.

This is a great place to learn more about cataracts:

https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/what-are-cataracts

There are many ways of removing cataracts. You and Dr. Hickman can discuss which is the best option for you based on your vision needs, including not having surgery, LenSx femtosecond laser technology, phacoemulsification and manual small-incision cataract surgery.

https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/what-is-cataract-surgery

LenSx®

The LenSx system offers many advantages over traditional manual cataract surgery. It is system that uses laser-guided incisions to make more precise cuts on the eye, offering enhanced astigmatism correction, a more perfectly sized capsulotomy (or hole in the bag that holds the lens in place) and fragmentation of the lens. After the laser makes the surgeon-guided incisions on the eye, you will be taken back to the operating room for removal of the cloudy lens and the insertion of an artificial intraocular lens (IOL).

Manual cataract surgery with phacoemulsification

Phacoemulsification uses ultrasonic energy to break up the cloudy lens and vacuum out the small pieces. If you choose this option, the incisions on your cornea and inside your eye are done manually. It has a long track record and is an excellent procedure choice in most cases. The LenSx system uses lasers to make incisions on and inside the eye for Dr. Hickman, and then he uses phacoemusification to remove the broken-up pieces of lens. They are very similar procedures, but the laser-assisted surgery offers greater precision, quicker recovery and fewer complications.

Small-incision cataract surgery

This is a procedure that is used for extremely advanced cataracts where manual cataract surgery and laser cataract surgery cannot make incisions into a super-hard lens. For very advanced cataracts, this may be the safest procedure for you.

VERION®

The VERION guided system is a state-of-the-art procedure that gives added precision to your surgery. It allows for autotransciption of your surgical preoperative measurements, intraoperative personalized incisions and lens placement. This reduces variation and optimizes your surgical outcome.

Premium IOLs (intraocular lenses)

The choice of IOL or artificial lens placed in the eye is just as important as the type of surgery to choose. There are many options, such as making the goal distant vision, one eye distant and one eye near (monovision), multifocal lenses that allow distance and near vision together and toric IOLs that correct for astigmatism. Dr. Hickman can speak with you as to what lens is right for you.

https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/cataracts-iol-implants

Astigmatism correction

Astigmatism correction can be done in many ways during and after cataract surgery. The first is to use glasses after surgery to correct astigmatism. The second is to use the LenSx laser-guided astigmatism to correct astigmatism. Finally, toric intraocular lenses placed inside the eye after the cloudy lens is removed can be used to correct astigmatism. You and your doctor can discuss which option is the best for you.

Options for going without glasses

Some people who undergo cataract surgery are very happy to wear glasses afterward. Some would like to have distance vision and wear reading glasses when they need to see up close. Others opt for monovision, or having one eye placed for distance and one eye set for near. Finally, there is the option of premium IOLs that can in many cases make a patient spectacle-free.

YAG laser capsulotomy

About 30% of people who undergo cataract surgery will get a clouding of the posterior capsule, which is like a piece of cellophane that hold the natural lens or artificial lens in place. There is a very quick procedure called a YAG laser capsulotomy that can open up the capsular bag to restore vision.

https://www.aao.org/eye-health/treatments/what-is-posterior-capsulotomy

Co-managment

If you and your optometrist would like Dr. Hickman to perform the procedure and your regular eye doctor do the postoperative care, called co-management, we can discuss that with you. If there is a concern. Dr. Hickman may want to see you more in the postoperative period. Your optometrist and Dr. Hickman in this case share the global fee for cataract surgery. It is your decision if you would like to participate in co-management.

LOCATION

Ad Astra Eye
4955 Research Park Way
Lawrence, KS 66047
Phone: 785-424-8805

Ad Astra Eye – Olathe Office (Satellite)
18208 W 119th St.,
Olathe, KS 66061
Phone: 913-353-4127

OFFICE HOURS

Monday
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8:00 am – 4:30 pm
8:00 am – 4:30 pm
8:00 am – 4:30 pm
8:00 am – 4:30 pm
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