Cataract Surgery

Cataracts are treated with an ultrasound procedure called phacoemulsifaction.

How it Works

During cataract surgery, your surgeon breaks up the cataract using an ultrasound. Then, the tissue is removed and replaced with a lens implant. Dr. Wiens creates an opening on the side of the eye and breaks up the cataract with high frequency ultrasound waves. Then the cataract is extracted and replaced with a clear artificial lens. Depending on the type of lens implant you choose, you may only require a pair of glasses for some specific tasks.

Cataract surgery is one of the safest, painless and most common surgical procedures with an overall success rate of 98% or greater. Each year, about 300,000 procedures are performed in Canada, with about 14,000 of those in Manitoba.

Options

Your decision on which kind of lens to choose should be based on your day-to-day vision requirements, financial ability and, consultation with your surgeon.

These premium lenses are designed to make you less dependent on glasses. They offer the possibility of seeing well at more than one distance, be it near, mid-range and distance.

Toric Foldable Lens

The Toric lens can provide the best possible distance vision for activities such as golf, driving, or watching TV. Toric lenses can safely reduce or eliminate astigmatism and reduce or eliminate the need for distance glasses. Reading glasses would still be required.

Multifocal Foldable Lens

Designed to provide the best possible vision without glasses for all distances, near (reading), mid-range (computer), far (TV, driving, etc.). People that choose this lens are trying to minimize as much as possible the need for glasses after cataract surgery.

Multifocal-Toric Foldable Lens

A combination of the Toric and Multifocal, this lens is designed to reduce astigmatism and provide the best possible vision without glasses for all distances.

What to Expect

Although you will be at the hospital for several hours, you will typically be in the surgery suite for about 30 minutes. It takes approximately 4 – 6 weeks for the eye to heal fully, but within one week you will find your vision dramatically improved. Some patients say they notice a significant difference the very next day.

Technology Used

A laser technique is not used for the initial cataract removal. This procedure is performed with a surgical ultrasound.