Richard Burns, M.D.
Cataracts
Are you experiencing blurred or cloudy vision from a cataract that is making it difficult for you to live your everyday life? At New Freedom Eye Center in San Diego in San Diego, Dr. Burns has many years of experience performing cataract eye surgery, during which time he has helped numerous patients throughout Southern California regain clear, crisp vision. Dr. Burns frequently treats cataracts patients from San Diego, Temecula, Sun City, Hemet and Murrieta. He performs each cataracts procedure with the utmost attention and dedication, consistently delivering results that meet or surpass the expectations of his patients.
Please explore this page to learn more about cataract surgery and advanced intraocular lens implants (IOLs) offered by Dr. Burns.
Cataract Symptoms
As the clouding of the lens progresses, San Diego cataracts patients usually notice one or more of the following symptoms:
Images appear dull
Colors look less bright
Sunlight appears unusually intense
Vision becomes blurred, affecting reading ability
Depth perception and night vision deteriorates
Patient requires frequent prescription changes
How Does a Cataract Develop?
Vision is an elegant, simple yet complex gift. It largely depends on the clarity of the tear film that bathes the eye. Every time you blink, this tear film moves across the eye moistening it and clearing away debris, much like the windshield wiper. For sharp vision, the cornea (the clear part of the eye) must also be smooth to properly receive light and transmit it toward the retina in a uniform way. Therefore, there must be no scars and irregularities, such as astigmatism. The light then bends through the pupil and passes through the lens, which also must be clear. Finally, the light travels through the jelly-like substance called vitreous and ends upon the retina, where it is converted into vibrations of various frequencies and transmitted to the brain.
Cataracts develop in the lens part of the eye. The lens normally acts as a focusing instrument, gathering light rays and enabling crisp vision. When the cataract begins to develop, it gradually obscures the lens. The clouding progresses at various rates depending on factors unique to each person. Most cataracts patients do not notice changes in their lenses until the clouding becomes denser. Also, since cataracts usually affect both eyes, vision loss appears roughly the same in both eyes so the patient does not have a reference point to judge the decrease in his or her visual acuity.
Cataract Treatment: Refractive Cataract Surgery in San Diego
If you are diagnosed with cataracts, Dr. Burns will provide you with a customized, effective treatment plan. Depending on the extent of the clouding of the lens, your cataracts might be treated with glasses or contact lenses. However, if your cataracts are more extensive and begin to affect your lifestyle, surgical treatment might be necessary.
If you require cataract surgery, there has never been a better time to have one. In fact, more than 3 million Americans undergo cataract surgery every year, making it the most frequently performed surgical procedure in the United States. Dr. Burns specializes in the most advanced form of surgical cataract treatment – refractive cataract surgery.
Procedure
During this procedure, the defective lens is removed and replaced with an artificial intraocular lens (IOL).
Success
This type of surgery enjoys a remarkable success rate, with more than 90 percent of our cataracts patients achieving vision somewhere between 20/20 and 20/40.
Fast & Painless
The refractive cataract surgery is relatively painless and takes only about 10 minutes to complete.
To promote the best possible vision outcomes, Dr. Burns uses advanced IOLs. After placing the lens implants, he uses laser vision correction procedures, such as LASIK, PRK or LASEK, to fine-tune any irregularities in the corneal shape.
As a result of this combination of sophisticated procedures, more than 90 percent of our cataracts surgery patients enjoy crisp vision at all distances without glasses!
Cataract Surgery Instructions
Pre-Operation
Post-Operation
Clear Vision with Refractive IOLs
So, there is light at the end of the tunnel even if you have advanced cataracts. Schedule a complimentary consultation with Dr. Burns to see how refractive Cataract Surgery can help you improve your vision and let you fully enjoy your lifestyle again. Even people who do not have cataracts can benefit from receiving refractive IOLs in San Diego.
If you have been turned down for LASIK or are simply not comfortable with this procedure, visit our Refractive Lensectomy (RLE) page to see how this procedure can help you completely eliminate or significantly decrease your dependence on glasses and/or cumbersome contact lenses.