Welcome To The Next Generation in Cataract Care in Aiken, SC
An Overview of Modern-Day Cataract Surgery at the Eye Guys
As pre-operative diagnostics, lasers and lens implant technology continue to evolve, Dr. Lockwood and the Eye Guys are offering patients more surgical options than ever before. If your vision just isn’t as sharp as it used to be – or if you find yourself constantly wearing some type of prescription eyewear – then hopefully our article today will help in your decision making.
Should you be preparing to schedule cataract surgery, it’s critically important that you not only understand the exciting new cataract lens options you have today, but also understand the educational process at practices like ours that help you make a more informed decision about restoring your vision through cataract removal and lens implantation.
Today’s Premium Intraocular Lens Implants combined with LenSx laser cataract surgery are specially designed to provide patients a much broader and more detailed range of vision. Dr. Lockwood will help in your lens selection process by discussing your hobbies, lifestyle and work needs.
The Good News
Today’s lens and laser options are allowing patients to enjoy the highest quality of vision our industry has ever seen.
For patients visiting The Eye Guys for cataract surgery, it’s important to gain a better understanding of your financial responsibility of the PIOL system. The good news about today’s cataract marketplace is that all three involved entities share in the costs. Here is how today’s ophthalmic marketplace works:
- The Medical Insurance Provider pays a substantial percentage of the procedure by covering the standard cataract processes of the procedure.
- The Eye Guys pays its portion by investing in diagnostics, laser technology and additional human resources training that are not reimbursable.
- The Patient pays a percentage for the premium/refractive components of their surgery that are not covered by either the practice or the payor.
The sooner a patient understands this ‘Shared-Responsibility-By-All-3-Parties’ model, the sooner you are able to focus on your choices, instead of focusing simply on the out-of-pocket expenses. At The Eye Guys, we are transparent, empathetic and understanding toward patients about what medical insurance DOES or DOES NOT cover.
The absolute BEST NEWS about today’s Cataract Marketplace is that there is no BAD NEWS. Patients who choose NO options and undergo traditional/conventional cataract surgery will enjoy improved quality of vision and less glare. They will simply be more dependent on prescriptive glasses or contacts post-operatively for the sharpest vision.
Laser cataract surgery (with toric lens if moderate/severe astigmatism) is even better for patients with astigmatism. And laser cataract surgery with a multifocal intraocular lens such as PanOptix or Vivity offers patients the most freedom from prescription eyewear we have ever seen in ophthalmology. So regardless of what level of surgical care a cataract patient receives, “It’s all good news!”
The Cataract Surgery Process at the Eye Guys Aiken
Here at The Eye Guys in Aiken, South Carolina we see the advancements in lens and laser technology as an opportunity to inform cataract patients of their surgical options that are available today. Our goal is simply to present medical options and surgical opportunities in an educational process that allows patients to make a more informed decision on how they want to see in the future.
Patient education requires time, and Dr. Lockwood and the Eye Guys place a priority on informing our cataract patients. This is especially true when dealing with patients newly diagnosed with cataracts. Below are the most common visual symptoms patients experience from cataracts:
- Losing the ability to drive safely at night because of glare from oncoming headlights or early morning sun.
- Needing more light for near vision tasks like reading recipes, prescriptions, books or instructions.
- The fading of bright colors and a gradual clouding of their vision.
- The inability to no longer adequately perform hobbies or daily activities because of their poor quality of vision.
Once Dr. Lockwood determines that cataract surgery is necessary to improve a patient’s vision, he then discusses the recommended options for the patient. The patient then receives a detailed packet about the cataract surgery process and is scheduled for a preoperative measurement (POM) visit in our Augusta office.
At the POM visit, the patient will not be dilated. The counselors at the Eye Guys will again discuss the available cataract surgery options for the patients. The specialty trained biometrists will then take advanced measurements of the patient’s eyes to determine exact power of intraocular lens necessary for the patient. The patient then meets with the financial counselor who has communicated with the patient’s insurance company to determine the patient’s out of pocket costs for all the available options. And finally, the patient meets with the surgery scheduler to finalize his/her decision for the type of cataract surgery and to pick dates and times for surgery on each eye. All follow up visits are scheduled at the Aiken office. Patients should plan about two hours to complete this very important visit at our Augusta office.
What Are Patients Really Investing In?
Patients undergoing cataract surgery are interested in restoring their ability to enjoy the things they love most in life with little or no restrictions. Cataract surgery is among a select inner circle of medical procedures capable of not only restoring a specific body function but also to actually enhance its performance beyond its original capabilities. Our goal is to give you the ability to see BETTER than you have in years, decades or possibly your entire life. Allowing patients to spend time in the evenings with grandchildren – and then driving home – is priceless for both grandparents and their children. So is the ability to restore someone’s passion for a particular hobby or pastime is priceless. Dr. Lockwood and the Eye Guys team looks forward to helping you see better!
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