In traditional cataract surgery, incisions in the cornea to access the cataract are made using a handheld, single-use, diamond blade. Your surgeon will then use a specialized microsurgical instrument to create an opening in the lens capsule of the eye that holds the cataract. The goal in these steps is to make the corneal incisions precise and the opening in the lens capsule as circular as possible, in the right location, and sized to fit the replacement lens. To remove the cataract, a small probe is inserted into the eye, emitting ultrasound waves to break up the cataract into pieces. The probe is also used to suction out the fragments of the cataract.

With laser cataract surgery, the incisions may be made with the laser, which is also used to create a more precise opening into the lens capsule. In addition, the laser energy is used to soften the cataract before removal. Following the laser steps, the fragments of the cataract are still removed using the same probe used in traditional surgery and, in both procedures, an intraocular lens is inserted.

Every eye has a unique size and shape. Prior to treatment, the laser system scans your eye, making a precise 3D map of relevant structures. This process provides your surgeon with great detail about your eye and allows the laser to be focused in a way that results in precise incisions exactly where intended and in a matter of seconds.

In cataract surgery, you can choose from several types of replacement lenses. There are options for reducing or eliminating your dependence on spectacles, such as monovision or multifocal intraocular lenses. Your surgeon will discuss these options with you at your eye examination.

Thousands of procedures have been successfully performed using laser cataracts. The system Kellogg has chosen to use is the Catalys Precision Laser System, which was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2011.

Before the day of surgery you will receive a packet of instructions and the date and time you should arrive at the Kellogg Eye Center. You will come to the 4th floor and will be greeted by a nurse who will take you to the pre-op area. Your eye will be dilated (typically patients have one eye operated on at a time), and you’ll have an IV to supply medicine to help you relax. You’ll see your surgeon before the procedure.

You will be awake during the surgery, but will have received medicine to numb your eye. The surgery takes from 15 to 20 minutes, and you should expect little or no discomfort. During the laser portion, patients describe seeing a kaleidoscope of lights and feel only slight pressure.

After surgery, a protective shield with holes will be placed over your eye, and you will go the recovery room where a nurse will check your vital signs. Most patients go home about 30 minutes after the surgery.

You can expect to be at our center for two to three hours. Most patients are in the procedure room for 30 minutes or less. The 3D imaging and laser portion of the treatment only takes a few minutes.

Some people will have improved vision immediately after surgery, but we tell patients that it is normal to have blurred vision for a day or two. You will not have many restrictions during recovery, but it is important not to lift heavy objects or engage in strenuous exercise for one week. 

Insurance typically covers the cost of traditional cataract surgery but does not cover the costs associated with the new laser procedure.