Cataract Surgery is the third most performed surgery in the United States.

With over 3.1 million surgeries per year, this surgery has a very high success rate with 9 out of 10 regaining vision between 20/20 and 20/40.

The surgery begins with the doctor making a small incision into the cornea. Next the surgeon may remove the lens as one piece or use an ultrasound, laser or surgical solution to break the lens into pieces and remove it.

The posterior capsule, the membrane at the back of the lens is left in place so an intraocular lens can be inserted.

Occasionally the entire lens, including the membrane, will be removed to ensure the membrane won't become cloudy over time and interfere with vision. However if the membrane is removed, a replacement lens can not be inserted. In this case corrective lenses must be worn to restore vision.

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Presbyopia is an age related condition that effects your ability to focus clearly on near objects like printed text, computer screens and photographs. It primarily affects people over the age of 40 and is not a disease.

When light from a close object enters the eye it naturally comes to focus behind the retina. To focus the light properly the cilliary muscle around your lens contracts, which changes the shape of the lens, allowing the light to focus properly. With Presbyopia, your lens begins to gradually harden as you get older. This hardening of the lens does not allow it to change shape properly resulting in blurred vision.

There are a variety of ways to correct presbyopia including glasses, bifocals, trifocals or contact lenses. LASIK surgery or conductive keratoplasty, known as CK, are also options. Because Presbyopia is a gradual process you will need to consult your eyecare provider regularly to monitor the condition