Fully customized for your lifestyle and vision needs
Don’t let cataracts get in the way of your daily activities. Contact us today to schedule your personalized cataract evaluation.
A cataract is the clouding of the eye’s natural lens, which leads to blurry or dim vision. The lens, located behind the iris and pupil, normally focuses light clearly onto the retina. Over time, the lens can become cloudy, blocking or scattering light and making it harder to see clearly.
Cataracts often develop gradually as part of the natural aging process. They can also form more quickly due to trauma, eye surgery, certain medications, or medical conditions. Symptoms may include blurry vision, glare from lights, trouble seeing at night, or colors appearing faded.
Cataracts form when proteins in the eye’s natural lens break down and clump together, causing cloudy vision. This is a normal age related progression but cataracts can come on sooner when they are triggered by:
A cataract is the clouding of the eye’s natural lens, which leads to blurry or dim vision. The lens, located behind the iris and pupil, normally focuses light clearly onto the retina. Over time, the lens can become cloudy, blocking or scattering light and making it harder to see clearly.
Cataracts form when proteins in the eye’s natural lens break down and clump together, causing cloudy vision. This is a normal age related progression but cataracts can come on sooner when they are triggered by:
Cataracts can cause a range of vision problems that may develop gradually or progress quickly. Common symptoms of a cataract include:
Clouded, blurry, or dim vision
A sensation of a film over the eyes that doesn’t go away with blinking
Difficulty with night vision or night driving
Sensitivity to light and glare
Seeing halos around lights
Fading, dulling, or yellowing of colors
Frequent changes in your glasses or contact lens prescription
Double vision in one eye
If you experience any of these symptoms or notice sudden changes in your vision, it’s important to see your eye doctor for an evaluation.
Normal Vision
Cataract Vision
Normal Vision
Cataract Vision
Cataracts can cause a range of vision problems that may develop gradually or progress quickly. Common symptoms of a cataract include:
Clouded, blurry, or dim vision
A sensation of a film over the eyes that doesn’t go away with blinking
Difficulty with night vision or night driving
Sensitivity to light and glare
Seeing halos around lights
Fading, dulling, or yellowing of colors
Frequent changes in your glasses or contact lens prescription
Double vision in one eye
If you experience any of these symptoms or notice sudden changes in your vision, it’s important to see your eye doctor for an evaluation.
The only effective treatment for cataracts is cataract surgery. During cataract surgery, the cloudy natural lens of the eye is removed and replaced with a clear artificial lens called an intraocular lens (IOL). This procedure is safe, highly effective, and usually takes less than 30 minutes.
Cataract surgery is typically recommended when vision loss begins to interfere with daily activities like reading, driving, or working. If cataracts are not yet affecting your quality of life, your doctor may monitor them with regular eye exams until surgery becomes necessary.
The only effective treatment for cataracts is surgery. During cataract surgery, the cloudy natural lens of the eye is removed and replaced with a clear artificial lens called an intraocular lens (IOL). This procedure is safe, highly effective, and usually takes less than 30 minutes.
Cataract surgery is typically recommended when vision loss begins to interfere with daily activities like reading, driving, or working. If cataracts are not yet affecting your quality of life, your doctor may monitor them with regular eye exams until surgery becomes necessary.
Our experienced cataract surgeons are committed to delivering exceptional results and personalized care. We take the time to understand your vision goals and guide you through every step of the cataract surgery process. At Utah Valley Eye Center, your comfort, clarity, and outcome are our top priorities.
An added benefit to cataract surgery is that you have lens options to choose from with the goal of reducing the need for or even eliminating the need for glasses after surgery. With recent advancements in these lenses, many patients do not require glasses after cataract surgery, or only wear them occasionally. Your physician will review the following options with you and make recommendations based on your visual desires at the time of surgery.
Standard lenses give you sharp vision at a single distance, either up close or far away, but not both. If you choose a lens that is set for near vision, you will wear glasses for driving or to see objects at a distance. If you choose a lens set for distance vision, you will wear glasses for reading or to see objects up close.
Toric lenses are similar to standard lenses with the added benefit of correcting astigmatism. Astigmatism is present when the cornea is steeper in one axis compared to the other. The toric lens offsets astigmatism in the cornea which will decrease your dependence on glasses after surgery. Not everyone is a candidate for toric lenses. Dr. Gardiner will examine your eyes and discuss this option with you at your pre-operative appointment.
Monovision correction includes using either a standard or toric lens to correct one eye for distance and one eye for near. This is a great option for patients who have previously tried monovision with contact lenses. In most cases your brain needs to adjust to the difference between the two eyes and not everyone can tolerate this discrepancy.
Premium lenses are designed to eliminate your need for glasses at distance and near. These lenses have concentric rings which allow your brain to naturally focus through different parts of the lens for distance or near activities. We offer the latest in multifocal technology with the Alcon Panoptix and Alcon Vivity lenses.
Utah Valley Eye Center is proud to offer the Light Adjustable Lens (LAL). The Light Adjustable Lens is the first and only intraocular lens (IOL) that allows your vision to be customized after cataract surgery. Unlike traditional lenses, the LAL is made of a special photosensitive material that can be adjusted using UV light treatments in our clinic. This unique technology allows our doctors to fine-tune your vision based on how you heal and what feels best after your eye has fully recovered. The result is a more personalized and precise visual outcome.
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Cataracts FAQ
Medicare typically covers most of the cost of cataract surgery with the use of a standard lens. Please talk with our surgery coordinator to go over your specific plan and individual cost.
You will want to take the day of your surgery off. Most people are ok to go back to their normal activities the day after surgery. Talk to your surgeon about your lifestyle at your pre-operative appointment.
We ask that you stay away from any dirty water such as lakes, pools, and hot tubs or dirty environments for 2 weeks after your procedure. Avoid vigorous activity or lifting anything too heavy for one week after surgery.
Because of the risk of infection we do not operate on both eyes on the same day. We will schedule your surgeries 2 weeks apart from each other to make sure the first eye fully heals before moving forward with the second eye.
Yes, you can have cataract surgery after LASIK. However, previous LASIK can slightly alter the measurements we use before cataract surgery. Your physician will discuss an additional scan that can be done during your procedure called an ORA to confirm the measurements before implanting a lens.
Cataract surgery is an outpatient procedure that usually takes about 20-30 minutes. Plan on being at the surgery center for 2 hours.
Most patients are ready for surgery when their vision is interfering with their daily activities. You may notice a decrease in quality of vision at night and more halos around lights. You may also notice needing more light to read in dim lit situations or light sensitivity in very bright lighting situations. It is important to get an eye exam yearly so your physician can tell you of any changes in cataract formation or decrease in vision.
The new lens will last the rest of your life. You will never need another cataract surgery.
A thin layer of particles can grow on the backside of the capsule that holds the new lens in place. This is treatable with a quick and painless in-office procedure called a YAG. It is important to get yearly exams after surgery to monitor the clarity of your new lens.
Cataracts FAQ
Medicare typically covers most of the cost of cataract surgery with the use of a standard lens. Please talk with our surgery coordinator to go over your specific plan and individual cost.
You will want to take the day of your surgery off. Most people are ok to go back to their normal activities the day after surgery. Talk to your surgeon about your lifestyle at your pre-operative appointment.
Because of the risk of infection we do not operate on both eyes on the same day. We will schedule your surgeries 2 weeks apart from each other to make sure the first eye fully heals before moving forward with the second eye.
Yes, you can have cataract surgery after LASIK. However, previous LASIK can slightly alter the measurements we use before cataract surgery. Your physician will discuss an additional scan that can be done during your procedure called an ORA to confirm the measurements before implanting a lens.
Cataract surgery is an outpatient procedure that usually takes about 20-30 minutes. Plan on being at the surgery center for 2 hours.
Most patients are ready for surgery when their vision is interfering with their daily activities. You may notice a decrease in quality of vision at night and more halos around lights. You may also notice needing more light to read in dim lit situations or light sensitivity in very bright lighting situations. It is important to get an eye exam yearly so your physician can tell you of any changes in cataract formation or decrease in vision.
The new lens will last the rest of your life. You will never need another cataract surgery.
A thin layer of particles can grow on the backside of the capsule that holds the new lens in place. This is treatable with a quick and painless in-office procedure called a YAG. It is important to get yearly exams after surgery to monitor the clarity of your new lens.
