What are cataracts? Do I need surgery?

No. Once the natural lens is removed and replaced with an intraocular lens, a true cataract cannot return. However, some patients develop a condition called posterior capsule opacification — sometimes called a secondary cataract — where the membrane behind the lens becomes cloudy. This is easily treated in the office with a quick, painless laser procedure called a YAG capsulotomy.

Cataracts are progressive — they will continue to worsen over time. In the early stages, updated glasses may help. But as the cataract advances, vision loss becomes significant enough to affect driving, reading, and daily independence. Surgery is the only effective treatment, and outcomes are generally better when the procedure is performed before the cataract becomes too advanced.

The right time for surgery is when your cataracts are affecting your quality of life — not based on a specific measurement or timeline. If you're struggling with night driving, reading, or recognizing faces, it's worth a consultation. Dr. Tran will review your diagnostic results and give you a clear, honest answer about whether surgery makes sense now or whether monitoring is the better option.

Standard cataract surgery — including a basic monofocal lens — is covered by Medicare and most insurance plans when deemed medically necessary. Premium lens upgrades, including multifocal IOLs, toric lenses, and the Light Adjustable Lens, involve an additional out-of-pocket cost. Femtosecond laser assistance is also typically not covered. During your consultation, our team will walk you through a complete cost breakdown before you make any decisions.

Medicare and most insurance plans cover the base cataract surgery at no cost to you — including the surgeon's fee, facility, anesthesia, and a standard monofocal lens. If you choose to upgrade to a premium lens such as the Light Adjustable Lens, a multifocal, or a toric lens, that upgrade involves an additional out-of-pocket investment not covered by insurance. Femtosecond laser assistance is also an elective upgrade with a separate cost. Dr. Tran's team provides a clear, itemized breakdown of exactly what insurance covers and what you would pay before you make any decisions.

Standard cataract surgery — which removes the cloudy lens and replaces it with a basic monofocal lens — is covered by Medicare and most insurance plans. The surgery itself is paid for; what insurance does not cover is the upgrade to a premium lens. Premium options like multifocal, toric, and Light Adjustable Lenses involve an out-of-pocket cost because they go beyond what insurance considers medically necessary. That upgrade cost is what buys you the potential to see clearly at multiple distances, correct astigmatism, or fine-tune your vision after surgery — things a standard lens simply cannot do.

The Light Adjustable Lens is the only FDA-approved intraocular lens that can be customized after it has been implanted in your eye. After initial healing, Dr. Tran uses a series of UV light treatments to fine-tune your prescription based on how your eye responds — then permanently locks in the result. This makes it ideal for patients who want the most precise visual outcome possible. Patients with the LAL must wear UV-protective glasses outdoors during the adjustment period.

Whether you need glasses after surgery depends largely on the lens you choose. With a standard monofocal lens, most patients still require reading glasses or glasses for certain distances. With multifocal or Light Adjustable Lenses, the majority of patients achieve significant glasses independence — especially for distance and intermediate tasks like driving and computer use. Dr. Tran will review your lifestyle and visual demands to recommend the lens most likely to give you the freedom you're looking for.

Femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery uses a computer-guided laser to perform the most technically precise steps of the procedure — including the incisions, the capsulotomy, and lens fragmentation. This replaces manual blade techniques with sub-micron accuracy, resulting in more predictable outcomes and reduced ultrasound energy delivered to the eye. The laser does not change the type of lens used, but improves the accuracy of lens placement — particularly beneficial for patients with astigmatism or complex prescriptions. Dr. Tran offers femtosecond laser surgery at Stratus Eye as part of a premium surgical experience.

A toric lens is a type of intraocular lens engineered to correct astigmatism at the time of cataract surgery. Standard cataract surgery does not address astigmatism, which means many patients remain dependent on glasses or contact lenses even after their cataract is removed. Toric lenses are precisely aligned to counteract your specific astigmatism pattern, delivering sharper distance vision without glasses. Patients who have worn glasses their entire lives due to astigmatism are often excellent candidates for toric lenses.

Cataract surgery itself typically takes 10 to 15 minutes per eye. Most patients notice meaningfully improved vision within 24 to 48 hours of surgery. Full healing and final vision stabilization generally occurs over 2 to 4 weeks, with regular follow-up visits included in your care at Stratus Eye. Patients with the Light Adjustable Lens will have additional UV light adjustment appointments during the healing period before their vision is permanently locked in.

There is no single best lens for every patient — the right choice depends on your corneal shape, degree of astigmatism, pupil size, and the visual demands of your lifestyle. An avid golfer who wants to see the ball without glasses has different needs than a retired professional who primarily reads and drives. Dr. Tran reviews your full diagnostic results and discusses your daily activities and vision goals before making a recommendation. Most patients leave their consultation with a clear understanding of their best option.