Cataract Removal Surgery Los Angeles & Beverly Hills

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Clear Vision, Restored With Cataract Surgery

One of the few guarantees in life is that, if we live long enough, we will get cataracts. Just like gray hair, cataracts are a natural part of aging, the bittersweet by-product of too many birthdays. But having cataracts does not mean resigning yourself to poor vision. Quite the contrary, cataract surgery can eliminate the annoyance of filmy, hazy vision and glare.

At Maloney-Shamie-Hura Vision Institute we go further. We see cataract surgery as an opportunity to give you great vision without glasses, safely, through the use of advanced lenses and precise laser technologies. We aim to turn back the clock to restore the clear vision of your youth.

If you are considering cataract removal surgery to correct your vision, don’t you owe it to yourself to find the best cataract surgeons Los Angeles & Beverly Hills have to offer? Top Cataract surgeons, Dr. Neda Shamie & Dr. Arjan Hura, have been performing cataract removal surgeries since they began their specialized ophthalmology careers.

As leading researchers in the field, they are able to offer you a wide range of state-of-the-art cataract surgery options, including solutions that are tomorrow’s standards rather than yesterday’s. With their expertise, your cataract treatment will be tailored to your eyes, lifestyle, and needs.

What Are Cataracts?

The lens in your eye is normally crystal clear, but when it becomes opaque, we call it a 'cataract'. A cataract is NOT a film or growth that occurs in the eye, it is simply a cloudy lens.

Cataracts diagram

In A Normal Eye, Light Passes Through The Clear Lens And Focuses On The Retina.

Cataracts diagram

A Clouded Lens Or Cataract Causes The Light To Scatter Across The Retina.

As the opacity worsens, it prevents light from properly focusing on the retina, the light sensitive tissue lining the back of the eye. Early lens changes or opacities may not disturb vision significantly. But as the lens continues to change, your vision becomes blurred and you may begin to notice glare, haziness, and difficulty seeing street signs or reading, for example.

What Are The Symptoms Of Cataracts?

Blurry or hazy vision, or dim vision that requires brighter lights in order to read small print
Increased glare and sensitivity to light, especially in bright sunlight or while driving at night
A yellowing of the vision
Distortion, double images, or ghosting of the vision
Increased nearsightedness, requiring frequent changes in your glasses prescription

How Are Cataracts Diagnosed And Treated?

You'll need to have a thorough examination of your eyes, including dilation and an attempt at a new glasses prescription. At first, a change in your eyeglass prescription may be all that is needed to temporarily improve your vision.

When you feel that your vision affects your daily activities or your lifestyle and you desire better vision, cataract surgery in Los Angeles should be considered. Cataracts can only be removed with surgery.

When Do You Need Cataract Surgery? The Decision Is Yours.

There is no single objective test to determine the need for cataract surgery. The final decision to have cataract surgery is always made by the patient, and it depends on how much the decreased vision from the cataract is bothersome. Los Angeles Cataract Surgeons, Dr. Shamie and Dr. Hura, will always explain your status and options to you clearly and let you make your own decision about when to have cataract surgery. If you are considering cataract removal surgery, here are some factors that you should think about:

Doing cataract surgery at an earlier stage makes for a quicker recovery and a technically easier surgery. Waiting until the vision is very poor can often make the surgery and recovery more involved.

The California Department of Motor Vehicles requires that drivers have 20/40 vision (with or without glasses) in their better eye to qualify for a license. Some patients choose to wait until their vision is approximately at this 20/40 level. However, many active patients who still work, drive, and use computers have higher demands for their vision. These patients tend to choose surgery at an earlier stage.

Some patients choose to have cataract surgery even before they develop vision-blocking cataracts. For these patients, who are typically in their 50s, refractive lens surgery is performed in order to eliminate or reduce the need for glasses and to regain their near vision. With their astigmatism managed and a multi-focal lens implanted, the vast majority (92% in the official FDA study) of these patients see well at a distance, intermediate, and near, and they never or just occasionally use glasses. The remaining 8% also saw quite well, but they used glasses more than just occasionally.

The bottom line is: If you're happy with your vision and it doesn't cause difficulties with reading, computer use, driving, working, or your active lifestyle, then you should postpone the surgery. If you want and need better vision for your activities right now, and would like to see more clearly, then schedule your surgery with the cataract surgeons in Los Angeles, Dr. Neda Shamie and Dr. Arjan Hura. They are your eyes, and you decide what's best.

With Your New Implanted Lens, You Can Now Choose Your Vision Correction.

There are many options for replacement lenses, and our Vision Correction Specialist will help you choose the one that best suits your needs, with the goal of providing you with the best cataract surgery Los Angeles has available.

Standard Lens Implants

These have a single focal point. They optimize vision for one distance, such as looking at distant objects. These implants offer excellent vision but usually require glasses for many daily activities, such as driving, computer work, reading and near vision tasks. The cost of these lenses is covered by most insurance and Medicare. Standard lenses do not correct astigmatism.

Advanced Lens Implants

Advanced lens implants provide a wider range of clear vision without glasses than standard lenses. They significantly reduce your dependency on glasses for most activities, such as computer work, watching TV, and driving. There are four types of advanced lens implants: the Light Adjustable Lens (LAL), the multifocal lens, the extended range lens and the toric lens. Clear vision for many activities, both up close and far away, can be achieved with these lenses.

Types of Advanced Lenses

Light Adjustable Lens

The Light Adjustable Lens is the only lens implant whose power can be adjusted after surgery by shining a precise pattern of ultraviolet light on the lens. Everyone heals differently after surgery, so many people have vision that is good but not quite perfect with non-adjustable lenses. The Light Adjustable Lens can be adjusted to correct any remaining nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism. The result is extraordinarily clear 20/20 vision in the great majority of patients. There is no need to undergo an additional surgical procedure like LASIK for perfect vision. The light adjustable lens does require a greater commitment from you. Because ultraviolet light changes the lens power, you need to wear UV protective glasses for the first month after surgery. It also requires three to four extra visits to our office to adjust the lens power.

Learn More About Light Adjustable Lens

Advanced Multifocal Lens

The multifocal lens is similar to bifocal or trifocal glasses, and can provide a very wide range of vision. You will generally have the ability to see far away and read without glasses. More than 90% of patients with these lens implants use glasses never or only occasionally. Multifocal lenses have some limitations. You will have mild halos around lights at night, although these are generally not bothersome. If you require perfect distance vision or vision for detailed close work, another implant may be a better choice for you. Multifocal lenses are best for motivated patients who have a strong enough desire to be spectacle-free to tolerate some mild halos at night.

Learn More About Multi-Focal Lenses.

Advanced Extended Range Lens

The extended range lens falls in between the single focus lens and the multifocal lens. The extended range lens offers crisp distance vision day or night without the halos around lights one may have with the multifocal lens. It also offers excellent intermediate vision. This lens allows you to work on the computer, see the dashboard, or read large print held at arm’s length. The extended range lens is best for patients who want excellent, crisp distance vision and the ability to work on the computer without glasses, but are ok with reading glasses for up close.

Learn More About Extended Range Lenses.

Advanced Toric Lens

The toric lens implant is designed to correct larger amounts of astigmatism. The other lenses do not provide good vision in patients with high astigmatism. The toric lens offers excellent distance or close vision (but not both) in patients with high astigmatism.

Learn more about Toric lenses.

Small Aperture Lens

The Small Aperture Lens is designed to give you the advantage of clear, focused vision from near to far, and everything in between. Using innovative technology, the IOL filters out unfocused light that causes blurry vision and allows focused light to reach the retina so that objects and text are once again clear.

Learn more about Small Aperture Lenses.

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What to Expect After Cataract Surgery

The Maloney-Shamie-Hura Vision Institute Is An Authorized FDA Study Center For Vision Correction Technology.

Cataract surgery is the most frequently performed surgery in the United States with over 3 million procedures being performed each year. Recovering from cataract surgery is very straightforward for the vast majority of patients. The procedure is done on an outpatient basis and usually takes about 10 to 15 minutes with another 30 minutes or more in recovery. You will have a protective eye shield placed on your eye which can be removed for showering and when watching TV or reading. It should be replaced when napping or sleeping to protect the eye as instructed.

After you have recovered you can be driven home to relax for the rest of the day. You may feel sleepy from the sedation which is normal. You will be given sunglasses to wear to protect your eye from bright light.

With the cataract gone, you will notice the world is a much brighter place as the cloudy lens has been replaced with a crystal clear lens. You may find it more comfortable to wear the sunglasses wherever there is bright light but it isn’t medically necessary.

Blurry Vision Is Normal After Cataract Surgery

Your treated eye may remain dilated for up to 24 hours and you may also notice your vision is blurry for several days or more. It is normal to have some fluctuation of vision as your eye adapts to the new lens. Following surgery it is normal to experience irritation, dryness, scratchiness or watering for about a week. You will be given prescription antibiotics and anti inflammatory drops to use which will help with irritation.

Follow the schedule for applying the drops carefully as there is a sequence that should be followed for best results.

One of our doctors will see you within a few days of surgery to ensure that healing is progressing as expected. It will take about a month for the eye to be fully healed, but you can resume most activities in just a few days.

Educational Videos

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General Cataract Aftercare Advice

The following are tried and tested instructions that will assist your recovery and ensure you have the best possible outcome from your surgery. If you have any questions at all about what you can or cannot do after your procedure, please call the office for clarification. Do not drink alcohol the day of your procedure. You can resume your regular diet and medication schedule immediately following surgery. To guard against infection, do not swim, go in a hot tub or Jacuzzi, have a steam bath, or go into a dry sauna for one week after your surgery.

You can bathe or shower as you wish. Eye makeup should not be worn for 24 hours, again to guard against infection. After this time, you can wear brand new makeup just out of the package. Mascara and eyeliner accumulate germs so your current makeup could cause an infection. After the first week, you can resume using your current makeup. Keeping your blood pressure even helps the eye heal so do not exercise for at least 48 hours. After this period you may resume any exercise that does not involve lifting heavy objects.

Check with one of our doctors if you are uncertain when to begin a certain type of exercise or activity. Most patients sail through recovery with no issues at all other than minor eye irritation and having to adjust to the new clear lens. If you are doing both eyes, you can benefit from wearing a contact lens in the untreated eye until that cataract is removed. If you run into anything that is concerning you please don’t hesitate to call. We can be reached 24 hours a day at 310-208-3937.

Dr. Shamie On Katie Couric

Cataracts are caused by the natural aging of the lens of the eye. As explained by Dr. Neda Shamie, it happens to be a quick, routine and painless procedure with a multitude of benefits. Watch to learn more.

Dr. Shamie speaking about Cataract Surgery

I am constantly amazed at the clarity and vividness of colors now.

Jane L., Advanced Lens & Laser Cataract Surgery Patient

Why Choose Us for Cataract Removal Surgery?

You do not have to let cataracts impede your lifestyle. With the innovations now available in cataract surgery, advanced techniques provide faster recovery and improved visual outcomes. Dr. Shamie and Dr. Hura, who are among the top cataract surgeons in Los Angeles, can restore your ability to see clearly and enjoy your life. With a comprehensive consultation, you will be able to find out about all of your options and decide for yourself when and if the procedure is right for you. We would love to have you be one of our thousands of happy, cataract-free patients.

Find out if you are a candidate by calling or emailing today. Visit us at either our Beverly Hills or Pasadena practice for your cataract surgical consultation and comprehensive exam.