What is Small-Incision Cataract Surgery?

So, you’ve got cataracts in one or both eyes, and they’re seriously impacting your life. There are many misconceptions and fears about cataract surgery, mostly thanks to people remembering their parents’ surgery, which may have been traditional surgery with large incisions and trauma to the eye and its surrounding area.

Our eye health specialists at Ventura Eye Institute in Camarillo, California, offer multiple ways to treat cataracts. Small-incision cataract surgery can correct your eyesight without being as traumatic, and you’ll have a shorter recovery than with traditional methods.

The cataract problem

Cataracts are one of the top causes of blindness worldwide and one of the most treatable causes of vision loss. 

Protein deposits can cloud the front of the eye's lens as you age, making your vision blurry and spotty. Eventually, the protein deposits can completely cover the front of the lens, blocking your sight. 

Fortunately, we offer a fast, simple, and effective procedure for restoring your sight with small-incision cataract surgery.

Intraocular lenses

An intraocular lens (IOL) is a replacement for the lens of your eye. Your doctor literally takes the old, clouded lens out and puts the new one in, restoring your vision. You can go from feeling like you’re staring at the world through a dirty window to viewing everything through sparkling clean glass.

Small-incision cataract surgery process

Fortunately, for modern-day patients suffering from cataracts, this condition can now be fixed with a painless, outpatient procedure. The whole process takes about twenty minutes per eye, and you can go home the same day without even having to wear a patch.

First, we anesthetize your eye, and a small probe is inserted through a tiny incision slit only 2.4 mm long or even smaller. This is as long as the exposed lead is on a sharpened pencil point. The ultrasound emits waves that emulsify the cataract clouded lens, and the remains of the lens are irrigated and flushed out through the tiny slit.

After your old lens has been removed, we insert a new lens implant, which is folded up in a special way before being inserted through the slit. The IOL unfolds naturally and settles into place. The tiny incision is self-healing, and you won’t need any stitches or bandages. 

Cataracts are one of the best eye problems to have since blindness caused by cataracts is typically reversible, and sight can be restored. This contrasts sharply with many other types of eye diseases, like retinopathy, which can cause irreversible vision loss.

To learn more about small-incision cataract surgery and discuss your potential as a candidate, call 805-388-1211 or make an appointment online at Ventura Eye Institute.