When one of our Clemson Eye surgeons tells you that you have a cataract and it should be removed, it may seem frightening. But, once you understand what a cataract is, how it will be removed, and the life-changing benefits cataract surgery can bring, you'll likely wish you'd had the procedure sooner. A cataract can progress until eventually there is a complete loss of vision in your eye, and neither diet nor laser treatment will make a cataract go away. However, cataract surgery can help restore your vision, long before you experience loss of vision significant enough to interfere with your daily activities. This is an exciting time to have cataract surgery at Clemson Eye because now you have some exciting choices which will not only improve your vision, but your lifestyle too.

Drs. Parisi, Johnson and Glaser have performed over 20,000 cataract operations, restoring lost vision and function for patients. They all offer the ReSTOR® and TORIC® lens implants and take the time to discuss the best lens solution for each patient. Over half of our patients have chosen to correct their refractive while curing their cataract. (Read our patient testimonials)

Clemson Eye surgeons perform the most advanced cataract surgery techniques with modern lens implants making use of an amazing new array of high-tech equipment. Not all surgeons or surgery centers are equal and many surgeons around the country are using out-dated techniques, old equipment and not offering any lens implant options beyond a standard single-vision lens. At Clemson Eye, gone are the days when cataract surgery required a two-week stay in the hospital, with your head immobilized with sandbags until you healed. Our modern cataract surgery is an out-patient procedure that takes a half-hour or less and lets you get back to your normal activity level within a few days. One of the most dramatic advances in cataract surgery involves anesthesia for the procedure. Long ago, patients were put to sleep for cataract surgery. More recently, patients were given a shot behind the eye before surgery to numb it. But now, Clemson Eye cataract patients have their surgeries performed under topical anesthesia, with only a few numbing drops placed on their eye before the start of the procedure. This eliminates both the risks and discomforts of the shot. Also, the shot made the vision blurry for several hours after surgery—with just the numbing drops, some patients notice improved vision within minutes after the surgery is completed.Our eye surgeons are highly experienced, so you will be in good hands. 

During your surgical consultation, our Clemson Eye doctors may recommend a procedure called astigmatic keratotomy (AK) or limbal relaxing incisions (LRI) to treat your astigmatism. This surgical procedure ensures that you will have the best possible vision after surgery. Astigmatic keratotomy/limbal relaxing incisions are surgical procedures which consist of making microscopic curved relaxing incisions at the limbus, which is the junction of the clear part of the eye (cornea) with the white (sclera) of the eye. These cuts are made for the purpose of flattening the steepest part of the cornea in an attempt to obtain a more spherical cornea. AK/LRI permanently changes the shape of the cornea.

AK and LRI are elective procedures not covered by Medicare or private insurance. Please note that the fee for AK/LRI is in addition to any deductible, co-insurance and co-payments you might have for the cataract procedure. For more information on the additional costs for these procedures, we would be happy to discuss these with you after your consultation with the doctor, but first, our doctors must determine if you are a suitable candidate for AK/LRI.