Skip To Main Content
San Francisco Eye Institute Logo

What are Cataracts?

Cataracts are a natural clouding of the lens of the eye. When the lens becomes clouded by a cataract, vision may become blurred, images distorted, and colors may even appear dull. Cataracts may also cause glare and halos that make driving at night difficult. Cataracts are very common: nearly half of all Americans will have at least one cataract by the age of 75.1

View Video

Symptoms of Cataracts

Because cataracts develop gradually, many people aren’t aware they have them until they have progressed. Common symptoms of a cataract include:

  • Blurred or dim vision (like looking through a foggy window)
  • Light and glare sensitivity
  • Increasing difficulty with night vision
  • Seeing halos around lights
  • Fading of colors
  • Double vision (usually in a single eye)
  • Frequent changes in prescription for glasses or contacts2

Treatment for Cataracts

When a person first develops cataracts, he or she may experience adequately improved vision with an updated glasses or contact lens prescription. Once cataracts progress and begin to distort vision more significantly, the only cure is surgery to replace the clouded lens of the eye with a clear lens.

Cataract Surgery: What to Expect

Preparing for Cataract Surgery

The first step in restoring your vision with cataract surgery is an ophthalmological examination and diagnosis. Once your cataracts have been diagnosed, your doctor at San Francisco Eye Institute will plan your procedure.

Your doctor may ask you to use certain eye drops the day before your procedure, and you may also be asked to avoid eating on the day of your surgery. Patients are not permitted to drive immediately after cataract surgery, so you’ll want to make arrangements for transportation on the day of your procedure.

The Cataract Surgery Experience

Cataract surgery only takes about 10 minutes to perform, but you may spend up to three hours at the surgery center on the day of your procedure. Our doctors perform cataract surgery at our on-site ambulatory surgery center, located on the second floor of our building for your convenience. Access to other surgery centers is available if necessary for insurance purposes.

During your cataract surgery, you will be given intravenous (IV) anesthesia as well as numbing eye drops to ensure your comfort. The procedure is generally painless, though you may experience some mild burning, pressure, and a sensation of cool wetness. As the doctor replaces the clouded lens of your eye, you will see bright lights and colors.

When your cataract surgery is complete, you will be escorted to our recovery room, where you will relax for about 20 minutes. After a final check by your eye care team, you will be released to go home.

View Video

Cataract Surgery Recovery

Recovery after cataract surgery is generally pain free, though some patients report sensations of pressure or soreness in the affected eye in the first day or so after the procedure. You will be prescribed eye drops to prevent infection and control inflammation.

Immediately following cataract surgery, you may experience distorted or blurry vision. This is normal and often resolves quickly. Most patients are able to get back to their daily activities within 24 to 48 hours of cataract surgery. Your doctor will encourage you to avoid high-impact activities and swimming for at least one week. You may notice a rapid improvement in your vision only days after cataract surgery, and may continue to notice further improvement as your eye heals over the next few weeks.

Cataract Patient Testimonials
4.9/5 Average Rating based on over 200 reviews
Quote stars - 5 stars review

Dr. Margaret Liu (surgeon) & Dr. Helena Cheng (optometrist) are quite a team. I have particularly good things to report about Dr. Liu, since she’s the one who actually restored the full sight to my under-achieving left eye. My cataract-impaired natural lens had to be removed and replaced with a plastic one. The startling vision improvement that resulted added a crisp new dimension to the whole world. Dr. Peggy was reassuring, empathetic, and most importantly, competent — a very important trait in an eye surgeon.

Rhonni C.

All of the staff are welcoming, efficient, friendly and competent. Dr. Liu and Dr. Cheng are both awesome. They take their time to explain the details of the procedures. Dr. Liu performed cataract surgery on me several years ago followed by YAG laser treatment most recently.

E.C.

This is a thank-you note to Dr. Helena Cheng and Dr. Margaret Liu. I
recently had surgery to remove a cataract and fix a problem with glaucoma
in my left eye. It has made a world a difference! I can now use my
computer without glasses, and I can once again see the notes in my piano
music. I had given up my piano lessons, but now I’m back. I can also
clearly see performers on the stage of concert halls. When I turn out the
lights to sleep, I still instinctively reach to take off my glasses, except
they’re not there! Thank you for giving those parts of my life back to me.

James M.

Interested in Learning More About Cataract Surgery?

Text Us to Watch a Series of Brief Educational Videos

phone icon large

Text: 519519

text icon large

Message: SFEI

Customized Cataract Surgery

During cataract surgery, the clouded natural lens of the eye is replaced with a clear intraocular lens (IOL). In addition to traditional cataract surgery with standard IOLs, we are pleased to offer our patients a number of customized cataract surgery packages featuring a wide range of premium IOL options, each of which provides specific advantages for vision after surgery. Types of IOLs we offer include Multifocal IOLs to correct presbyopia and Toric IOLs to correct astigmatism, as well as other IOLs that help correct vision at all ranges.

ORA SYSTEM with VerifEye+ Technology™ for Optimal Vision Correction

The cutting-edge Optiwave Refractive Analysis (ORA) SYSTEM with VerifEye+ Technology has revolutionized cataract surgery by allowing surgeons to perform eye measurements during surgery. Traditionally, measurements of the eye could only be taken prior to surgery to help select the proper IOL power to achieve the desired visual outcome. Before ORA was available, it was only possible to gauge the effectiveness of the IOL after cataract surgery, often once the eye had fully healed.

Thanks to the ORA SYSTEM, your doctor can now measure and verify that the best IOL has been selected in real time during cataract surgery, optimizing outcomes so that you can enjoy the best possible vision improvement immediately as your eye heals.

View Video

Treating Glaucoma During Cataract Surgery

For patients who have been diagnosed with glaucoma as well as cataracts, our surgeons at San Francisco Eye Institute are able to treat both conditions during a single procedure. MIGS, or Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery, is the most advanced approach to glaucoma surgery. The goal of this procedure is to decrease pressure on the eye caused by glaucoma, preventing loss of vision and nerve damage. For our patients’ convenience, we are able to address glaucoma using MIGS at the time of your cataract surgery.

At San Francisco Eye Institute, Dr. Liu offers two types of advanced MIGS devices:

Hydrus® Microstent

The Hydrus Microstent is a device about the size of an eyelash that is placed in the eye during cataract surgery to improve drainage and release pressure. In a clinical study, up to 78% of patients who underwent MIGS with Hydrus were able to stop using eye drops as part of their glaucoma treatment plan. 

iStent®

The MIGS procedure with iStent is minimally invasive and involves the placement of tiny titanium implants to improve drainage of the eye and reduce pressure. Like the Hydrus Microstent, this stent is also designed to be placed during cataract surgery.

Contact San Francisco Eye Institute

Contact Us

If your vision has become increasingly blurred over time or if you have already been diagnosed with cataracts, please contact San Francisco Eye Institute. A member of our team can help you schedule a consultation to learn more about your cataract surgery options.

FAQs About Cataract Surgery

Will my cataract surgery be covered by insurance?

Once cataracts have impaired a person’s vision to a certain extent, most medical insurance companies, including Medicare, provide coverage for cataract surgery as a medical necessity. Additional out-of-pocket costs may arise if patients opt for premium IOLs or if ORA is used during cataract surgery.

Can I have cataract surgery on both eyes at the same time?

Typically patients who have developed cataracts in both eyes have their eyes operated on separately. We prefer to remove cataracts in separate procedures (usually spaced at least one week apart) so that patients are able to maintain stable vision in one eye while the other eye heals.

Who is at risk for cataracts?

The truth is, everybody is at risk for cataracts as this condition is part of the natural aging process of the eye. There are certain factors that may increase a person’s likelihood of developing cataracts, including:

  • Heredity
  • Trauma
  • Diabetes and other diseases
  • Certain medications
  • Occupational exposure to microwave or infrared radiation
  • Exposure to UV radiation

Can cataracts be prevented?

It is not possible to prevent cataracts or to slow the progression of a cataract once it has developed. However, some research shows that you may be able to delay the onset of cataracts by:

  • Maintaining a healthy diet
  • Wearing sunglasses to reduce UV light exposure
  • Quitting smoking

Is cataract surgery painful?

Cataract surgery is generally painless. Your ophthalmologist will administer anesthetic drops to numb your eye before the procedure, and you should feel nothing more than a sensation of slight pressure or scratchiness during the operation.

What are the risks of cataract surgery?

Cataract surgery is one of the most frequently-performed surgical procedures and is generally considered to be safe. Still, there are some risks, however rare, associated with any surgical procedure. Potential complications of cataract surgery include infection, inflammation, swelling, dislocation of the artificial lens, retinal detachment, and in extremely rare cases, vision loss.4

Trused Source Icon - Checkbox Sources

1 National Eye Institute. Cataract Data and Statistics. Available: https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/resources-for-health-educators/eye-health-data-and-statistics/cataract-data-and-statistics. Accessed December 8, 2020.

2 Mayo Clinic. Cataracts symptoms & causes. Available: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cataracts/symptoms-causes/syc-20353790. Accessed December 8, 2020.

3 American Optometric Association. Cataract. Available: https://www.aoa.org/healthy-eyes/eye-and-vision-conditions/cataract?sso=y. Accessed December 8, 2020.

4 Mayo Clinic. Cataract Surgery. Available: https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/cataract-surgery/about/pac-20384765. Accessed December 10, 2020.

Page Updated:

The doctors at San Francisco Eye Institute have either authored or reviewed and approved this content.

Ensuring the highest level of vision care and individual attention possible.

Whether you just need a general eye exam, or if you are interested in reducing or eliminating your need for glasses or contacts, our team is here to help! Contact us to book an appointment today!

Contact Us

To request an appointment please use the
form below, or call: (415) 421-8667

By checking the box on the contact form, you agree to the Terms of Use listed here: Communications through our website or via email are not encrypted and are not necessarily secure. Use of the internet or email is for your convenience only, and by using them, you assume the risk of unauthorized use. By checking this box you hereby agree to hold San Francisco Eye Institute, its doctors and affiliates, harmless from any hacking or any other unauthorized use of your personal information by outside parties.
SF EYE INSTITUTE LOGO

711 Van Ness Ave. #310, San Francisco, CA 94102

Call: (415) 421-8667

Fax: (415) 421-5648

Hours: M-F 9am-5pm

  • facebook icon
  • instagram icon
  • Yelp icon
Are You A Candidate?
Call Email Location