Cataract Surgeons – Located in Florida – Serving Patients Worldwide

Cataract surgery is considered one of the safest surgical procedures performed today. Recent advances in technology and technique have made it gentler and more reliable than ever. Dr. James Gills, the founder of St. Luke's, has made some of the most significant contributions to improving cataract surgery. Thanks to him and other prominent cataract surgeons, most patients who undergo surgery at our Florida practice are able to achieve significant improvements in vision with minimal recovery time.

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THE CATARACT SURGERY PROCEDURE

Cataract surgery is relatively simple and can be completed on an outpatient basis in about 20 minutes. The following five steps describe the process you will undergo when receiving cataract surgery:

PREPARING THE EYE

To ensure that cataract surgery is as comfortable as possible, two forms of anesthesia are used to numb your entire eye. Topical anesthesia bathes and numbs the surface of the eye, while the intraocular medication Xylocaine eliminates all sensation inside of the eye. Dr. James Gills developed this method of numbing the eye without needles in order to maximize patient comfort. It is now used by cataract surgeons throughout Florida and the world.

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PREPARING THE SELF-SEALING INCISION

Once the eye is completely numb, an instrument is used to make a tiny, beveled “self-sealing” incision. This self-sealing incision allows the eye to heal without stitches. It works because the eye's internal pressure holds the incision tightly closed. The self-sealing incision is less than 2.5 mm long, and is made at the edge of the clear cornea (the transparent covering of the front of the eye).

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CATARACT REMOVAL

Cataracts form inside of the lens capsule, which is like an elastic bag that holds the lens in place. To remove the cataract, the front portion of the lens is opened. Next, a tool called a phacoemulsifier is inserted through the incision. The phacoemulsifier is used to gently break up the cataract with ultrasonic vibrations and then remove it out of the lens capsule.

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IOLS REPLACE THE CLOUDY LENS

After the cataract has been completely removed, an intraocular lens (IOL) is inserted in place of the natural lens. This allows light to focus on the retina, resulting in clearer vision. There are many types of lenses that can be placed in the eye. IOLs can correct a wide range of preexisting refractive problems, including farsightedness, nearsightedness, and even astigmatism.

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ANTIBIOTICS AND ANTI-INFLAMMATORY MEDICAIONS PLACED IN THE EYE

Before your surgery is complete, antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medicine will be placed inside your eye. The antibiotics will reduce your risk of infection to 1/20 the national average, while the anti-inflammatory medicine will promote healing and lessen your need for post-operative eye drops, which can be inconvenient and cause side effects.

Contact us for more information about undergoing surgery with Dr. James Gills or Dr. Pit Gills, the experienced cataract surgeons at our Florida practice.

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St. Luke's Cataract & Laser Institute provides this on-line information for educational and communication purposes only and it should not be construed as personal medical advice.  Information published on this St. Luke's website is not intended to replace, supplant, or augment a consultation with an eye care professional regarding the viewer/user's own medical care.  St. Luke's disclaims any and all liability for injury or other damages that could result from use of the information obtained from this site.

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