Eye surgeons at Gordon Schanzlin New Vision Institute use an all-laser method of removing cataracts and provide the option of implanting a replacement lens for clarified vision.
San Diego, CA – Eye surgeons at Gordon Schanzlin New Vision Institute were the first to perform LASIK surgery in San Diego and have been providing their patients with clearer vision since 1980. In addition to LASIK surgery, GWS Vision Institute offers a comprehensive variety of vision correction procedures, including state-of-the-art laser cataract surgery.
Removing a cataract formerly necessitated the use of a hand-held blade during surgery, but thanks to advances in technology and technique, the surgeons at GWS Vision Institute also perform the procedure using a blade-free laser method. According to Dr. Michael Gordon, the laser technique reproduces the exact incisions, or openings, in the lens as the more traditional blade-reliant surgery. He says the laser then breaks up the lens so there is less energy in the eye when removing the lens, and it reduces or eliminates astigmatism by precisely placing certain corneal incisions. Dr. Gordon also notes that while traditional cataract surgery has certainly been successful through the years, it is impossible to replicate the precision a laser provides.
At GWS VIsion Institute, San Diego Cataract Surgeon Dr. David Schanzlin highlights that any patient who would be a candidate for traditional cataract surgery is also a candidate for laser cataract surgery. Despite having an option of traditional or laser, Dr. Gordon asserts that in his opinion, there is no choice to be made: “I only will perform laser cataract surgery as I think the benefits, the safety, and the ability to reduce or eliminate astigmatism makes this technique superior. These advantages, combined with intraoperative measurements to calculate new lens power, also help to reduce our patients’ need for any glasses postoperatively.”
Dr. Jack Weiss, another San Diego ophthalmologist at GWS Vision Institute, points out that there are advantages for the surgeon during the procedure as well. He says laser cataract surgery allows the surgeon to treat astigmatism while making more precise incisions, that in turn, yield more predictable results. And because the laser loosens the cataract, he adds that less energy is required to remove it, ultimately minimizing risk of complications for the patients.
Once the cataract has been removed, the San Diego eye surgeons say they are often able to insert an intraocular lens (or IOL), which mimics the patient’s natural lens. They add that patients who have these lenses implanted will be less reliant on eyeglasses, and in most cases need them only for reading or close vision. In the end, the eye surgeons at GWS Vision Institute stress that those who are interested in cataract surgery – be it traditional or laser – should schedule a consultation with an experienced and qualified ophthalmologist to determine their candidacy.
About Gordon Schanzlin New Vision Institute
The ophthalmologists at Gordon Schanzlin New Vision Institute were the first in San Diego to perform LASIK surgery. Their team consists of board-certified ophthalmologists, optometrists, and corneal specialists who frequently lecture for organizations such as the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery. The surgeons at Gordon Schanzlin New Vision Institute are available for interview upon request.