Why you want to have cataract surgery
PHOENIX – Of the handful of things in life you can count on, cataracts rank right up there with death and taxes. The average age of a cataract surgery in the US is 73. Gradually losing your sight over time due to age related cataract doesn’t sound fun, but if you listen to eye surgeon Dr. Paul Petelin talk about it, cataract surgery should be something everyone looks forward to.
“It’s never been a better time for patients needing this procedure” said Dr. Petelin. We have the power to produce any outcome we desire with high safety and accuracy. Patients are right to be excited about all that we can do.
Cataract: A blessing in disguise
A cataract is simply an age-related clouding of the lens of the eye. Eventually this interferes with basic activities and effects a person’s quality of life. Surgery to remove a cataract has been a safe and elegant procedure for many decades. Last year over 4 million Americans had cataract surgery.
Once the cataract is removed, it is replaced with an intraocular lens implant (IOL) and that’s where the fun really begins.
“With today’s IOL options, patients properly view their procedure as an important and powerful opportunity to make their vision better than ever” said Dr Petelin. “And we have the tools to make that happen.”
IOL’s More advanced than ever
“It’s really the IOL’s that have gone through the most change and have had the biggest impact” said Dr. Petelin. IOL choices can range from simple to those designed to correct all ranges of vision far and near including correction for astigmatism. “We even have one we adjust while it’s inside your eye in the weeks following surgery.”
The choices can be dizzying for patients, and Dr. Petelin understands this. “There is not one perfect IOL but there is always an IOL that is perfect for a given patient. Taking the time with each patient to understand their goals and needs, where they have been in the past with their vision and where they would like to go are the keys to success.
This has made consultation and planning stages more important than ever.”
The experience: Better than ever
With so much to talk about, Dr. Petelin likes to set aside as much time as needed for his cataract consults. “Finding the IOL that’s right for a patient really requires conversation. Not every person has the same goals or needs. We need to talk things out to make the right choice”
Technology plays an important role too, “having the best measuring equipment in the business and using it effectively in our planning is really the art in all of this and has a big impact on outcomes” said Dr. Petelin. Typically following a consultation, all of the necessary measurements for surgery can be done in a separate visit lasting about an hour.
“The day of surgery experience is usually really surprising for most patients, they are typically shocked at how simple it is” said Dr Petelin. The center Dr. Petelin uses is a beautiful modern new facility, and one of the nicest in the country. Scottsdale Eye Surgery Center is located in the northeast valley. “All of the hard work pays off on our surgery days. That’s when we get the privilege of changing lives. I am grateful that patients trust us so much and I love what I do because of what we can produce in return for that trust.”
Interested in learning more about cataract surgery and the lens options available? Book a consultation with Dr. Paul Petelin at Petelin Vision by calling 480-483-8882 or visiting www. petelinvision.com.