Around the age of 40, our lenses start becoming dysfunctional, losing their flexibility, and creating a condition called presbyopia, or difficulty with reading vision. This loss of flexibility is due to proteins in the lens changing, creating hardening and discoloration of the lens.

As the lens ages further (+55 years), those degraded proteins create even more cloudiness and dysfunction, becoming a cataract. When this begins to affect activities of daily life, such as driving and reading, surgery to remove the lens (and replace it with an artificial lens) is often recommended. This will allow light to pass through to the back of the eye and improve your vision.

Ophthalmologist surgeon Dr. Alison R. Tendler of ART Vision believes in the importance of open communication and full discussion of all your vision options during you cataract evaluation. The use of advanced diagnostics and technologies are available to ensure the best possible outcome for your vision surgery. Contact our Sioux Falls, SD office today to arrange a comprehensive exam and see how we can help improve your vision.

The main symptom of cataracts is increasingly foggy vision for driving, seeing road signs, and reading that isn’t made clear by an individual’s current eyeglasses or contact lens prescription. People often begin to realize they require brighter light to be able to read. Other sight-related symptoms sometimes include restricted night vision, seeing more glare or halos, and eyesight with a general brownish/yellowish tone. Glasses correction may also be changing more frequently. Cataracts do not cause pain and are generally present for several years before they produce any vision impairment. Usually, the condition starts to develop somewhere between the ages of 40 – 50; however, a great number of patients do not experience cataract symptoms prior to their 60s.

A cataract is the result of the age-related, natural breakdown of the proteins within the eye's lens. This process occurs in all people, though there are other lifestyle and health issues that may have an impact. Lifestyle choices, like smoking and vaping, drinking (excessive consumption), and prolonged exposure to UV rays have been shown to correspond with developing cataracts earlier, as have health conditions, like diabetes mellitus and high blood pressure. Further factors that might worsen the condition include:

• High myopia (nearsightedness)

• Injury to the eye

• Certain medications, such as steroids

• Previous eye surgery

• A family history of cataracts

There are three common types of cataracts explained below:

Nuclear Sclerosis Cataract (NS) – The most common type of cataract, NS cataracts are age-related and caused by the hardening and yellowing of the lens over time.

Cortical Cataract – These white, opaque cataracts appear in the cortex (the outer edge) of the lens, affecting the water content of the eye and causing fissures.

Posterior Subcapsular Cataract (PSC) – As the name suggests, PS cataracts appear on the posterior (back) surface of the lens, interfering with reading and causing halos.

To find out if your vision is impacted enough to qualify for cataract surgery, Dr. Tendler will conduct an in-depth eye exam and any ancillary testing that may need to be performed. She will discuss the value of having your vision restored, including the impact on quality and clarity, and as well as review options for how you would like to see your world after surgery, being mostly dependent upon or less dependent upon glasses for your everyday activities.

When Dr. Tendler determines a patient has visually significant cataracts, she her team will explain the different options for treatment and opportunities they have to see the world better. Although BASIC lens-based surgery is mostly covered by individual insurance plans, REFRACTIVE lens-based surgery will have an additional elective/out-of-pocket fee. This is one of the most important choices people have at the time of cataract surgery - how they want to use their vision afterward, or how dependent or independent they want to be from glasses or contact lenses for all of their daily visual needs.

TRADITIONAL Surgery Lens Options:

• Basic Lens-Based Surgery (Insurance only) If you simply want to have improved quality of vision after surgery and desire to wear glasses for distance and near tasks, this is your best option.

ADVANCED "Refractive" Surgery Lens Option:

• Distance Only Lens-Based Surgery (Insurance + Elective) If you desire the best distance vision and are satisfied with wearing reading glasses for near and intermediate tasks, this option is for you.

• Distance and Near Lens-Based Surgery (Insurance + Elective) If you desire the best distance and near vision and would like to wear glasses as little as possible, this option is for you.

Sioux Falls, SD patients who are experiencing the symptoms of cataracts should contact us to set up an appointment with ART Vision. Particularly for those who are 40 years of age or more, receiving comprehensive eye exams at least every two years is very important to diagnosing and treating cataracts and many other eye diseases. With a prompt diagnosis, our team can design an individualized plan to treat your cataracts and help you See the World Better and See Yourself Better.

Call us at 605.306.2020 / Schedule an appointment

Cataracts (the clouding of the eyes' natural lens) affect many individuals over the age of 55. But at ART Vision, we offer comprehensive diagnostic care, advanced technology, extreme precision, and cutting-edge treatment options so that our patients' lives do not have to be affected by poor vision. During a consultation at our Sioux Falls, SD facility, our team will discuss your medical history and lifestyle before determining if refractive cataract surgery is a good choice for you. The advanced technology used to complete refractive cataract surgery helps offer incredible speed and precision when used by a skilled ophthalmologist surgeon, like Dr. Alison R. Tendler.

Candidates for refractive cataract surgery are healthy individuals who wish to minimize their dependence on glasses. This advanced cataract surgery can be used on those with presbyopia, astigmatism, nearsightedness, and farsightedness.

Distance and Near Lens-Based Surgery (Insurance + Elective)

If you desire the best possible distance and near vision and would like to wear glasses as little as possible, this option is for you. Advanced technology is used to help determine candidacy and will be used to help determine the best lens for meeting your distance and near goals, including astigmatism. This option provides the lowest use of glasses for distance AND reading vision. Glasses will still be needed in special circumstances, such as reading fine print or reading at arm's length (10 – 15% of the time).

Distance Only Lens-Based Surgery (Insurance + Elective)

If you desire the best possible distance vision and are satisfied with wearing reading glasses for near and intermediate tasks, this option is for you. Advanced technology will be used to help determine the precise lens for meeting your distance needs, including astigmatism. This option provides the lowest use of distance glasses but does NOT help near or reading vision.

For both of the above options, you will receive extended follow up care and a laser enhancement if needed for up to two years following surgery to maximize your vision result.

Refractive cataract surgery is performed in the comfort of our state-of-the-art facility as an outpatient procedure. You will be able to return home soon after your procedure is performed. The procedure technique used to complete refractive cataract surgery is very similar to that of traditional cataract removal surgery with increased precision and accuracy to help reach your best vision.

The procedure typically takes about 15-30 minutes. Once completed, patients relax for about 10-20 minutes and can then be discharge home with a driver. No eye shield or patch is needed except for at bedtime.

When your surgery is complete, you may be given an eye patch or protective cover to wear during your recovery. A member of our team will provide you with detailed instructions, including how to administer and how long to use eye drops that will likely be prescribed to you following surgery. Remember not to touch, rub, scratch, or push on your eye while it is healing. Follow-up appointments will be scheduled before you leave our facility to return home. It is important that you attend each of these visits so that Dr. Tendler can check on the progress of your recovery.

After initial healing is complete, if vision fine-tuning is deemed necessary, Dr. Tendler will utilize laser technology for the final touches. The application of laser technology to refractive cataract surgery (when needed) allows for extra care and attention as well as amplified outcomes.

While cataracts can greatly affect your vision, you do not have to let them affect how you want to live your best life. With the help of refractive cataract surgery at ART Vision in Sioux Falls, SD, your cataracts can be treated and your vision can be restored an so you can visually live a more youthful life with less dependence upon your glasses. We offer comprehensive diagnostic care and numerous treatment options, as well as a very experienced surgeon, Dr. Alison R. Tendler. Schedule your consultation today to learn how we can help you See the World Better and See Yourself Better.

Call us at 605.306.2020 / Schedule an appointment