While you may need an optometrist for standard vision exams, if you require eye surgery, only an ophthalmologist can help. Cataracts typically require surgery to remove the cloudy covering that steals your eyesight. An artificial lens lets you see more clearly after you heal from the produce. In Lubbock, TX, and Midland, TX, those who need cataract surgery can turn to our staff at West Texas Eye Associates for the expert eye surgeon they need for cataract treatment.
What Are Cataracts?
Cataracts happen naturally with aging. This condition causes your vision to appear cloudy, like looking through a foggy window. The most effective means of treating cataracts is to remove the lens and replace it with an artificial one.
Who Needs Eye Surgery for Cataracts?
Eye surgery is often a necessary step for some people who have cataracts. However, you can put off the surgery if you feel like cataracts do not disrupt your life too much. Once they interfere enough with your vision that you cannot drive or function normally, you should consider surgery to restore your eyesight.
How an Eye Surgeon Can Treat Cataracts
Eye surgery for cataracts requires several visits to an ophthalmologist to prepare you for the procedure. Before the operation, our eye surgeons will take measurements of your eyes' lenses to identify the correct size and type of intraocular lenses that will fit on your eyes during the procedure.
On the day of the operation, you will stay awake the entire time. We will administer numbing eye drops, and we will give you some medication to help you to stay calm during the surgery. Once we all are ready, our ophthalmologists will make micro-incisions on the surface of your eyes to break up the damaged lenses and remove them. We will then place the artificial lenses onto your eyes. Usually, these do not require stitches as the incisions made will self-heal. After 30 minutes to an hour following the surgery, you should be able to go home. Follow-up appointments with our ophthalmologists will be made to ensure that the new lenses work well and that your eyes are healing properly.
Trust Our Ophthalmologists in Lubbock and Midland
If you need an eye surgeon for cataract surgery, contact West Texas Eye Associates. Call us at (806) 792-5900 for more information or to schedule an appointment.