Dr. Cottrell performs eye surgery at North Pinellas Surgery Center and Countryside Surgery Center

Thank you for choosing Gulfcoast Eye Care. We are committed to each patient achieving their best visual potential in a warm and caring environment. To help us achieve our mission, we are excited to offer our patients the most advanced in cataract surgery technology. I would like to take this opportunity to inform you about the options available for cataract patients today.

In the early stages of cataracts, stronger lighting and eyeglasses may lessen vision problems caused by the clouding of the lens.  As a cataract progresses, sharp images may become blurred, seeing things at night can become more difficult, and the glasses (or contact lenses) that used to help with simple tasks, may no longer seem to help. Once the cataract impacts an individual’s quality of life, surgery may be needed to improve vision.  This treatment involves removing the cloudy lens and replacing it with an artificial lens (IOL).

The vast majority of patients who undergo cataract surgery today receive monofocal IOLs, which typically require them to use reading glasses or bifocals for near vision following surgery. The good news is that IOL technology has taken a giant leap forward. Now, the objective is not simply to improve patients’ distance vision, but rather to enhance their vision with an IOL that fits their individual needs. With multiple lens options, patients can select the lens that best supports their lifestyle.

New multifocal IOL technology treats both cataracts and presbyopia – another age-related condition that hampers people’s ability to see or read near objects, forcing the need for reading glasses or bifocals. There are also IOLs that treat astigmatism. In clinical trials, four out of five patients who received AcrySof^® ReSTOR^® IOL in both eyes reported never wearing their glasses or bifocals following surgery. Similar results can be obtained with the AMO Rezoom^® and the Eyonics Crystalens^®. The specific IOL chosen depends on a patient’s lifestyle and activities, as well as certain measurements that are obtained before surgery.

I hope this information is helpful. I am excited about this new technology and I invite you to schedule your cataract evaluation today. Thank you for trusting your eyes to Gulfcoast Eye Care.

Sincerely,