Learn about advances in cataract surgery

Cataracts are one of the most common eye conditions in the world. Thanks to advances in cataract surgery, Dr. Dave Patel, a Mayo Clinic ophthalmologist, says many patients are able to say goodbye to their cataracts and reduce or eliminate their need for glasses.

For people with cataracts, seeing can feel like looking through a fogged-up window. Doctors have long been performing surgery to fix the problem, but now, instead of just replacing the cloudy lenses with new artificial ones, doctors at Mayo Clinic are using lenses customized for the patient.

He says customized lens surgery takes about 15 minutes, is safe, painless and patients often see better in minutes.

“It’s actually exciting that patients are now seeking the lens surgery in lieu of other procedures, like LASIK, which is still popular because now you can get a permanent lifetime benefit with the cataract surgery,” Patel says.

— Marty Velasco Hames, Mayo Clinic News Network