Laser-Assisted Cataract Surgery in Rochester, PA

Laser-Assisted Cataract Surgery Rochester, PACataract surgery patients at Zambelli Cataract & Laser Eye Institute have options in their cataract care. Though the goal of every procedure is to restore clear vision, there are different surgical techniques and IOL options to help patients achieve their desired visual outcomes. Our eye surgeons, in collaboration with the primary eye doctor, work with every patient individually to design a surgical plan that takes into account the patient’s needs, lifestyle and goals of treatment.

Laser-Assisted Cataract Surgery

Zambelli Cataract & Laser Eye Institute is the only facility in Beaver County offering laser-assisted cataract surgery, which uses a femtosecond laser to replace handheld surgical instruments during critical steps of the cataract removal.

Traditional cataract surgery is a safe and successful procedure, but laser cataract surgery is appealing because of its customization, precision and accuracy, which improves visual outcomes and overall patient satisfaction. As Drs. Zambelli have observed, laser cataract surgery patients are more likely to see clearly without visual aids after recovering from their procedure.

With laser-assisted cataract surgery, the femtosecond laser is able to create the initial incisions in the cornea to enter the eye. Technology called optical coherence tomography is used to craft a customized and detailed surgical plan for the incisions, including their location, length and depth, which helps to reduce astigmatism. Then, the femtosecond laser makes a perfectly sized, shaped and centered circular opening in the lens capsule to access the lens. Performing this step with a laser enhances the accuracy of the opening and also preserves the lens capsule; this laser precision is important for positioning and holding the IOL, and is a significant benefit of laser-assisted cataract surgery.

Laser-Assisted Cataract Surgery in Rochester, PA Premium intraocular lenses in Rochester, PA

The image on the left is an opening created by hand. The image on the right is an opening created by the CATALYS laser. Studies have shown that this opening is approximately 10 times more accurate when created with the laser, as compared to creating it manually.

Finally, the laser fragments the lens into tiny pieces. The ultrasound energy used in traditional cataract surgery can cause heat to build up in the eye, sometimes burning the incision and affecting the overall visual outcomes. On the other hand, laser-assisted cataract surgery is gentler. The laser softens the cataract as it fragments it, using less energy and reducing the chances of burns and other complications. Our surgeons have found laser-assisted cataract surgery to be safer than traditional surgery with handheld instruments.

Intraocular Lens Options

Premium IOLs in Rochester, PAZambelli Cataract & Laser Eye Institute offers a range of intraocular lenses (IOLs), each with unique features, to accommodate our diverse patients. Prior to treatment, multiple measurements are taken and tests are administered to collect information about the size and shape of the eye. This data, along with information about the individual’s lifestyle and visual goals, is used to help select the IOL that will provide the best possible vision.

Basic Lens Options

Monofocal IOLs

Monofocal IOLs provide vision at a single fixed distance. Most patients opt to have distance vision corrected, and may only need to wear glasses to see objects at intermediate and near. Some patients opt to have near or intermediate vision corrected so they can see objects up close clearly, and wear glasses to see things at other distances.

Premium Lens Options

Symfony Extended Range of Vision IOLs

Zambelli Cataract & Laser Eye Institute was the first eye care center in Western Pennsylvania to offer the Tecnis Symfony IOL, a newly approved, presbyopia-correcting IOL. Presbyopia is the age-related loss of reading vision. The Symfony IOL is the first and only Extended Depth of Focus (EDOF) Presbyopia-Correcting IOL that provides continuous, high-quality vision at a range of distances from near to far and points in between. In addition, the Symfony lens uniquely corrects chromatic aberration (color distortion) to provide more enhanced color vision in all lighting conditions. Our surgeons also offer the Tecnis Symfony Toric IOL, which delivers the same range of continuous vision, for patients with astigmatism. Most patients with the Symfony IOL and the Symfony Toric IOL are able to enjoy independence from glasses after cataract surgery.

Multifocal IOLs

Our eye surgeons offer presbyopia-correcting multifocal implants to individuals who want to see clearly at multiple distances after surgery. This implant provides vision at near, intermediate and far distances, and many patients are able to enjoy independence from glasses.

Toric IOLs

Toric lenses are designed to restore vision after cataract surgery while treating existing astigmatism (abnormal curvature of the cornea). One in three cataract surgery candidates has astigmatism that causes noticeably blurry vision. Toric lenses have different powers in different areas to compensate for the asymmetric power of the eye with astigmatism.

Contact Us

To learn more about cataract surgery and your IOL options, please contact our Rochester, PA office and request a consultation with one of our doctors today.