Ophthalmology Services – Cataracts

At Kentucky River Medical Center, we offer a commonly performed surgical surgery called cataract surgery. Cataract surgery involves swapping out the cloudy natural lens of the eye, known as a cataract, with a new artificial lens. A cataract can cause blurry or foggy vision because it forms as a cloudy area in the lens of an eye.

Cataract surgery is performed while you are awake, so you will be given a calming medication that will mildly sedate you, as well as a special numbing gel and eye drops, so that you won’t feel any discomfort during the procedure. If you have cataracts in both eyes, the procedures for each eye are typically done separately.

Types of Cataract Surgery Include:

• Small Incision Cataract Surgery (SICS): A small incision is made in the eye, typically around 2.5 to 3.0 mm in size. This minimally invasive approach allows the surgeon to access the lens without the need for larger incisions.
• Extracapsular Cataract Extraction (ECCE): The lens of the eye is removed, leaving the elastic capsule covering the lens.
• Intracapsular Cataract Extraction (ICCE): The removal of the entire lens including the capsule, after which patients must wear special (ie, aphakic) eyeglasses because no IOL is implanted.

What to Expect:

• Cataract surgery is typically performed as an outpatient procedure
• After your surgery, you will apply prescription antibiotic and anti-inflammatory eyedrops that can prevent infection and reduce inflammation
• You will visit your ophthalmologist for several postoperative visits during recovery