What is a Cataract?

Clouding of the eye’s natural lens is called a cataract. Everyone will get a cataract at some point in their lifetime. Age is the most common cause, but smoking, family genetics, steroid medications, and trauma can give even younger patients a cataract that interferes with their lifestyle.

Cataract surgery offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get rid for glasses for distance, near, and everything in-between.

When the natural lens becomes harder to see through, the diminished vision can start to interfere with doing the things you want to do. It’s usually the distance vision that is bothered first, and the problem is usually more noticeable in dim light or bright lights. Glare from light when driving at night is a common cataract-related complaint here in Tampa.

The cataract isn’t a growth. It is usually a gradual process in which the lens becomes less clear and harder to see through, like stained glass. The surgery is a “want-to,” not a “have-to,” surgery initially. If you choose surgery, your natural lens (the cataract) is removed, and a lens replacement option will need to be made.

What is a Cataract Surgery?

Thousands of happy Tampa area cataract patients have chosen Dr. Mahootchi for their surgery over the last 25 years. Our world-class outcomes, superior technology, avoidance of unnecessary expenses like drops or pre-op clearance exams, and our best lens upgrade prices for astigmatism and presbyopia-correcting lens implants have Tampa patients thrilled. See our ratings here. We have over 20 years of experience with astigmatism correcting(called toric) implants. We have almost 20-year experience with presbyopia-correcting implants.

During cataract surgery, we painlessly remove the cloudy natural lens and replace it with a new man-made lens implant that incorporates your glasses prescription. That way, our eye surgeon can choose to not only replace the cloudy lens but also reduce the glasses prescription afterward. About 98% of our patients have negligible prescriptions after cataract surgery with us. This patient had astigmatism and used glasses to see in the distance before her surgery:

During cataract surgery, we painlessly remove the cloudy natural lens and replace it with a new man-made lens implant that incorporates your glasses prescription. That way, our eye surgeon can choose to not only replace the cloudy lens but also reduce the glasses prescription afterward. About 98% of our patients have negligible prescriptions after cataract surgery with us. This patient had astigmatism and used glasses to see in the distance before her surgery:

Cataract surgery is one of the most important decisions you will make. Not only can you fix the cataract, but you have a chance to free yourself from glasses for distance and near. For glaucoma patients, freedom from drops is possible!

If you pay a dollar extra you should be a dollar better!

It’s not worth paying “extra” for intraocular lenses unless you are getting astigmatism or presbyopia correcting lens. Many Tampa cataract surgeons will upsell laser cataract surgery, making it sound like there is some short- or long-term benefit. There simply isn’t. There is zero science in the last 15 years that laser cataract surgery makes you better off. Most of my colleagues privately admit that it is of no benefit to the patient. They only upsell because the next guy does. There is no reason you should pay for something that doesn’t make you better.

We see many Tampa Bay ophthalmologists selling laser cataract surgery for astigmatism to everyone. Nearly 45% of the population doesn’t have enough astigmatism to correct. So why has everyone sold it? Additionally, the laser is the third best way to correct for astigmatism so why pay for the third-best? Most lens implants (the best way) come with astigmatism correcting versions so again there is no reason to pay extra.

If you are paying more than $795 for astigmatism correction, you are paying too much.

There are many choices of lens implants. Our extensive experience, with many types, allows us to work with so you get the best one for your lifestyle. The goal at The Eye Clinic of Florida is no glasses! Crystalens and PanOptix are great choices for distance, near and intermediate vision.

Sometimes the lens develops non-clear areas that are not yellow, like the image above. The example below has a frosted flower-like opacity that makes it difficult for the patient to see.

Patients of The Eye Clinic of Florida talk about the difference that cataract surgery has made in their lives. The Eye Clinic of Florida serves patients in the Greater Tampa Bay Florida Area.

Cataract surgery patients from The Eye Clic of Florida

What to expect for your Cataract Surgery at The Eye Clinic of Florida.

Our surgery center is Medicare approved, AAAHC accredited, and Florida licensed.

No pre-operative exam with a cardiologist or internist is needed for routine cases. No EKG, no Chest X-ray, no blood work either. Science has shown over and over that this is a waste of money for routine cases. Save $200 or more with us.

There is only one drop to take once a day for 3 days before and 7 days after the surgery for most. Our technique is 100 times more effective in preventing infection than drops and $300 less expensive than drops.

We have saved patients, Medicare, and insurances over $10 million in wasteful spending while delivering the highest quality care for our cataract patients.

The average cataract surgery patient spends less than 90 minutes at our center. The experience of actual surgery is only a few minutes. We keep you relaxed and have many options including IV-Free options. No breathing tubes are used. Most describe the experience of “just not caring” or being at the best happy hour ever.

The cloudy, natural, cataract lens liquefied and removed through a small opening. Ultrasound or sound waves liquefy the lens and the bag that holds the lens in place (the capsule) is left alone to hold the lens implant in place.

You should not drive after your surgery until the next day. Your eye will likely be dilated for a few hours. We have same-day post-op appointments available. For those traveling, there is a hotel 2 doors down.

Patients can see soon after surgery and most can drive the next day.