Cataract Removal in Greenbelt, MD

Solomon Eye Physicians & Surgeons is home to some of the more accomplished Maryland cataract surgeons. Dr. Jonathan Solomon and Dr. Stephen Solomon both have completed many years of advanced education and training, and they both regularly attend continuing education seminars to remain abreast of the latest advancements in cataract surgery. Their extensive knowledge and excellent surgical skill allow them to offer leading-edge cataracts treatments, such as micro-incision cataract surgery and laser cataract surgery, both with premium IOLs (intraocular lenses).

Read on to learn whether you might be a cataract surgery candidate and how this procedure can help you achieve clear vision.

There is no single objective test to determine the need for cataract surgery. The final decision for cataract surgery is made by the patient and depends on how much the cataract is impairing vision. Doing cataract surgery at an earlier stage makes for a quicker recovery and technically easier surgery. Waiting until the vision is very poor can often make the surgery and the recovery more involved. Cataract surgery is an elective surgery, and it's up to the patient to decide when to undergo surgery.

The Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration requires that drivers have 20/40 vision (with or without glasses) in their better eye to qualify for a license. However, many active patients who still work, drive, and use computers have higher demands for their vision.

Some patients choose to have surgery even before they develop vision-blocking cataracts. In this instance, the same procedure is referred to as Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE). In clinical trials, the vast majority of these patients achieved good enough distance, intermediate, and near vision to perform activities of daily living without the assistance of glasses or contacts.

Cataract surgery is a way to replace the cloudy lens with a clear lens, thereby, restoring vision. In modern techniques, the scaffolding of the natural lens is left in place to support the artificial replacement lens that is later implanted.

At Solomon Eye Physicians & Surgeons, we perform micro-incisional clear-corneal phacoemulsification, also called micro-incision cataract surgery. This is the most advanced version of traditional cataract surgery.

In this technique, the eye is anesthetized with eye drops and the patient is given a mild intravenous relaxing medication by the anesthesiologist. The entry into the eye is a micro-incision created with a diamond-blade. This delicate incision is so fine that there are no sutures required as it is self-healing. The "clear-corneal" in the name of the procedure refers to this incision, which is made at the edge of the clear tissue of the cornea. Due to the location of this incision, there is typically no bleeding (not even one drop), and the day after the surgery, the eye won't be red at all. After the incision is made, the cataract is emulsified and removed from the eye in order to allow implantation of the artificial lens.

The highly trained and experienced ophthalmologists and surgeons at Solomon Eye Physicians & Surgeons place a high priority on being able to provide their patients with the latest and most innovative techniques. We are very proud to be able to perform the Yamane technique for cataract surgery. This recent advancement in cataract surgery allows implantation of an artificial lens for patients who have previously been restricted due to inadequate capsular support (the structure within the eye that supports the lens).

The man-made lens is one of the top-of-the-line models that can be folded or compressed during insertion and then opened once inside the eye. The recovery for this surgery is very quick with good vision within a day or two. 

Benefits of Pursuing Micro-Incision Cataract Surgery in Maryland:

No Pain. The vast majority of our Greenbelt and Bowie, MD cataract surgery patients report no pain and don't even take a single Tylenol afterward. We numb the eye with eye drops, and the anesthesiologist administers a small amount of sedation in the intravenous line to help you relax. In contrast, some other surgeons need to inject medications behind the eyeball with a 3-inch needle.

No Stitches and No Bleeding. Since the incision is so tiny and is made with a gem-quality knife, it seals by itself. It is placed in such a manner that not even one drop of blood comes from the incision. In contrast, other techniques require incisions 2x – 5x larger than this, using a large steel blade or even scissors in the eye. In these older techniques, the surgeon would then place multiple stitches. These nylon stitches are sometimes felt when you blink, and they are often left in the eye for years or even permanently. Recovery after this less-advanced type of surgery is months versus just a week or two after micro-incision cataract surgery.

The Best Optics. The best vision requires the best optics. We only implant the best lenses, including Bausch & Lomb's SofPort Advanced Optics IOL, Alcon's SN60WF, and AMO's Tecnis Z9000. In addition, our Greenbelt and Bowie, MD cataract surgeons perform exacting calculations to determine which power lens to place in the eye. They take the extra time to incorporate as much of your glasses prescription as possible into the power of the implanted lens. The surgeons analyze your eye and place a tiny incision in such a manner as to help to reduce your astigmatism, ultimately making you less reliant on glasses or contacts. In fact, the majority of our Maryland cataract patients do not wear glasses for distance vision (such as driving) after surgery.

At Solomon Eye Physicians & Surgeons, we know that the idea of eye surgery might be intimidating. If you are in need of cataract surgery, we would love to have you come in so we can go over any concerns you have. Our remarkable eye surgeons have the experience, skill, and knowledge necessary to perform the most advanced cataract surgery to restore your vision and improve your quality of life.