NJ Surgeon on Cataract Lens Implants for Astigmatism

Eye Care & Surgery Center NJ Bladeless LASIK Laser Cataract Surgeon Blog

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

NJ Surgeon on Cataract Lens Implants for Astigmatism


NJ Cataract Surgeon & Corneal Specialist Joel Confino, M.D. commented on correcting astigmatism after cataract surgery with toric lens implants. “Almost all of my cataract patients know from their eye exams or eyeglass prescriptions whether they have astigmatism. Sometimes they don’t realize that it may be necessary for their cataract surgeon to correct that astigmatism in order to get the best visual results after cataract surgery,” explained Dr. Confino.

Astigmatism is a common refractive eye condition that that is most often due to an uneven curvature of the cornea. If the cornea were perfectly shaped, it would have a spherical round even shape, like a basketball. In eyes that have astigmatism, the cornea is typically curved more like an oblong, football-like shape, similar to the shape of the back of a teaspoon. “Depending on the degree and orientation of the unequal curvatures, astigmatism can cause mild or even severe blurry vision,” explained Dr. Confino.

Patients with cataracts and who are in need of cataract surgery have three choices when considering how to correct their astigmatism.

First, patients can simply choose to be dependent on wearing eyeglasses after cataract surgery in order to correct astigmatism.

Second, if appropriate, some patients may opt to have an additional surgical procedure called Limbal Relaxing Incisions (LRI).

Third, patients can elect have an astigmatism correcting toric lens implant in which the astigmatism correction is incorporated into the lens prescription just as in eyeglasses. “Toric lens implants are placed in the eye in exactly the same manner as ordinary lens implants at the time of cataract surgery and correct the astigmatism as part of the cataract surgery operation,” further explained Dr. Confino.

If you or someone you know has cataracts or is considering cataract surgery and has astigmatism please feel free to learn more about astigmatism correction after cataract surgery by calling The Eye Care & Surgery Center at 908-789-8999, visiting The Eye Care & Surgery Center or facebook.com/eyecareandsurgerycenter to schedule an appointment.

The Eye Care & Surgery Center is staffed by a team of Board Certified NJ Ophthalmologists who are subspecialty Fellowship trained New Jersey eye surgeons, Opticians, technical and administrative staff who provide eye examinations for adults and children, surgery for cataracts, intraocular lens implants (IOL), laser vision correction such as LASIK, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration (AMD) and diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma, reconstructive and cosmetic facial surgery including eyelid surgery and facial and skin rejuvenation as well as contact lenses, eyeglasses, eyewear and optical services.

With locations in Westfield and Warren and Iselin, The Eye Care & Surgery Center is a leading NJ eye care practice serving the central and northern New Jersey including Old Bridge, East Brunswick, Sayreville, Milltown, North Brunswick, Kendall Park, Somerset, Dunellen, Bridgewater, Manville, Bound Brook, Raritan, Edison, Colonia, Woodbridge, Metuchen, Avenel, Carteret, Piscataway, Middlesex, Somerville, South Plainfield, North Plainfield, Roselle Park, Garwood, Clark, Kenilworth, Cranford, Gillette, Berkeley Heights, Stirling, Scotch Plains, Summit, Chatham, Watchung, Pluckemin, Rahway, Plainfield, Mountainside, Springfield, New Providence, Basking Ridge, Bedminster, Bernardsville, Millington, Union, Elizabeth, Linden, Jersey City, Irvington, Orange, West Orange, Livingston, Short Hills, Florham Park, Madison, Bloomfield, Montclair, Clifton, Garfield, Wayne, Parsippany, Troy Hills and Paramus, New Jersey.