Cataract Treatment After LASIK
Yes, former LASIK patients can be treated for cataracts. The success of cataract treatment after LASIK depends heavily upon accurate calculations of pre-LASIK and present corneal measurements. The most exacting viewpoint suggests that patients who need cataract treatment after a prior LASIK treatment would be best treated by an ophthalmologist who is very experienced in both procedures.
Your ophthalmologist's LASIK and cataract surgery experience combine to help him understand how one procedure affects the other. Because LASIK alters the shape of the cornea it changes the way light bends as it enters the eye. The measurements for determining the best IOL for your cataract replacement depend upon accurate methods that consider the current corneal power of each eye as well as the original corneal power prior to LASIK.
As you would expect, your ophthalmologist must do a full exam to evaluate you for cataract surgery. Because you have had LASIK previously, he or she will have to do a number of calculations specific to your LASIK surgery, and will analyze the results as they apply to your eyes. The results of these calculations will help him choose the highest power IOL that will give you the clearest vision, without creating any farsightedness or nearsightedness.
Choice of IOLs is another factor in achieving the best outcomes for cataract patients who have had LASIK previously. For example, one study showed no significant difference in distance and near vision in patients who had received either spherical or aspherical IOLs, but there were slightly better results in intermediate vision in those receiving the aspherical IOL.
Since the highest power IOL that doesn't cause refractive errors depends upon your ophthalmologist's ability to perform the necessary calculations precisely, include this in the questions you'll bring to your consultation visit. You will want to know many things about your surgery, recovery, long term results and much more. The answers can be overwhelming as there is much to learn.
But, you also want assurance that your ophthalmologist has experience necessary to give you great results from your post-LASIK cataract surgery, as this procedure has many unique aspects that are not an issue with either LASIK or cataract surgery alone.
You can help your ophthalmologist in several ways. If you have copies of your medical records from your LASIK surgery, or can get them from your previous ophthalmologist, do so. If you are preparing to have LASIK ask for a copy of all your records, especially your measurements, and keep them in case you need them in the future. If you need both LASIK and cataract surgery now, you may find your best solution is with cataract treatment alone. Your ophthalmologist can tell you what your best set of options would be.
Your ophthalmologist's LASIK and cataract surgery experience combine to help him understand how one procedure affects the other. Because LASIK alters the shape of the cornea it changes the way light bends as it enters the eye. The measurements for determining the best IOL for your cataract replacement depend upon accurate methods that consider the current corneal power of each eye as well as the original corneal power prior to LASIK.
As you would expect, your ophthalmologist must do a full exam to evaluate you for cataract surgery. Because you have had LASIK previously, he or she will have to do a number of calculations specific to your LASIK surgery, and will analyze the results as they apply to your eyes. The results of these calculations will help him choose the highest power IOL that will give you the clearest vision, without creating any farsightedness or nearsightedness.
Choosing an IOL
Choice of IOLs is another factor in achieving the best outcomes for cataract patients who have had LASIK previously. For example, one study showed no significant difference in distance and near vision in patients who had received either spherical or aspherical IOLs, but there were slightly better results in intermediate vision in those receiving the aspherical IOL.
Since the highest power IOL that doesn't cause refractive errors depends upon your ophthalmologist's ability to perform the necessary calculations precisely, include this in the questions you'll bring to your consultation visit. You will want to know many things about your surgery, recovery, long term results and much more. The answers can be overwhelming as there is much to learn.
But, you also want assurance that your ophthalmologist has experience necessary to give you great results from your post-LASIK cataract surgery, as this procedure has many unique aspects that are not an issue with either LASIK or cataract surgery alone.
Plan Ahead
You can help your ophthalmologist in several ways. If you have copies of your medical records from your LASIK surgery, or can get them from your previous ophthalmologist, do so. If you are preparing to have LASIK ask for a copy of all your records, especially your measurements, and keep them in case you need them in the future. If you need both LASIK and cataract surgery now, you may find your best solution is with cataract treatment alone. Your ophthalmologist can tell you what your best set of options would be.
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