Cataract surgery and LASIK surgery both have the same goal in mind: to improve or restore a person’s vision. Cataract surgery removes the clouding of the lens of the eye and replaces it with a new lens that sits behind the iris at the center of the eye while LASIK surgery reshapes the cornea at the outermost area of the eye. These are different procedures that serve to address different purposes for your vision. You may wonder if you had a LASIK procedure previously if you can have cataract surgery later in life. As all cataracts eventually require surgery, patients want to know if having LASIK will have any adverse effects in the future. Can you get cataract surgery after LASIK?
Successful cataract surgery can be performed on someone who has previously undergone a LASIK procedure. As with any surgery, providing your surgeon with all your detailed medical history is super important. The biggest challenge in offering cataract surgery to a patient who has previously undergone LASIK is not only meeting the patient’s expectations but in intraocular calculations. The IOL, intraocular lens that replaces the cataract, selection process may not be as precise as it would be for a patient who has not been treated with a LASIK surgery previously. A good surgeon who has access to your previous medical records should be able to determine the correct lens power for your intraocular lens. Since many LASIK patients have become accustomed to living life without the need for prescription glasses or contact lenses, many patients prefer advanced intraocular lenses that include multifocal vision correction versus monofocal vision correction. A previous LASIK surgery may also lead your surgeon to choose a customized cataract surgery especially if you have been diagnosed with presbyopia or astigmatism since your LASIK surgery. Your ocular history, including previous eye surgeries as well as visual acuity and overall eye health, will help your doctor to select the appropriate intraocular lens as well as surgical technique for your cataract surgery after LASIK. Developing cataracts after LASIK surgery is a normal sign of aging and can be corrected in the hands of a proven and trusted board-certified ophthalmologist. For more information on cataract surgery at Pendleton Eye, call our office at 760-758-2008. You can also schedule your consultation online at WEBSITE.
