Standard or Refractive Eye Surgery – Which One for You?

Do you plan to have an operation for cataracts? If so, two options may be offered: standard cataract surgery or refractive laser cataract surgery. Conventional treatment with cataracts is one of the world's most common operations. It is known to be safe and efficient. Laser cataract surgery t is something most insurance plans do not cover as it costs more than traditional cataract surgery but can provide worthwhile benefits in certain situations. So what kind of cataract operation is right for you?

Here are some things about both types of cataract surgery that you should understand. Talk to your OKC eye doctor to find out the best type of operation for you.

Traditional Cataract Surgery

The eye surgeon creates a small incision by hand on the side of the cornea with a scalpel blade during a conventional cataract surgery called phacoemulsification. Through this incision, the doctor inserts an instrument into the area where the lens of the eye sits in a capsule. To create a round opening in the capsule of the lens, the surgeon uses a microsurgical instrument. Then they apply sound waves (ultrasound), to disrupt the cloudy lens center, using a special instrument. The split lens parts are then removed from the eye. An artificial intraocular lens is inserted replacing the cloudy, natural lens. After surgery, the side walls of the corneal incision are filled with a specific liquid, so stitches are usually not required.

Refractive cataract surgery

Refractive cataract surgery offers a whole new world of enhanced vision beyond the basic possibilities of cataract surgery. This incorporates the latest technological innovations in eye surgery to ensure the best vision. When selecting the option of refractive cataract surgery, we will tailor your nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, and refractive eye change, including spherical aberration neutralization. Refractive Cataract Surgery from an experienced eye doctor in OKC provides for vision only with more complex optical devices that weren't previously available.

Differences between Refractive vs. Standard Cataract Surgery

When the refractive cataract operation determines that someone can get entirely out of their glasses or contacts, a candidate usually asks, "What does that mean compared with standard cataract surgery?" They're just as safe, but in some main ways, refractive is different.

First, you need to correct astigmatism to be glasses-free. This needs to be planned carefully. Carrying out specific measures and procedural approaches are necessary.

Second, not only for one eye but in coordination with the other eye, each eye must have the correct prescription. For the procedure to work, this has to be exact. It's incredible to see everything come together! Before and during surgery there are diagnosis and imaging scans to make all this possible, which wasn't a few years ago.

Last, because all must be so accurate, a safety net is needed to ensure success. There is an inherent degree of variability in human healing and anatomy so even if everything is done right, the goal vision may not be exactly achieved. It's improbable, however. Although glasses are rarely needed after this surgery, the goal is always to ensure that the vision is as good as possible. In such rare cases, a LASIK procedure is performed to maximize the vision for that eye.

For certain people, it is perfect for them just to replace a cloudy lens with a clear implant. For others, the objective after cataract surgery is to achieve the best possible vision without glasses. You and our eye doctor in OKC at Korber Eyecare and Surgery Center together can choose the best surgical option for you. Come to us as we prioritize your needs and preferences.

**Disclaimer: The above post should not substitute medical advice nor does it create a patient-doctor relationship.