Cataract Surgery in San Diego
What is a cataract?
A cataract is a clouding of the natural lens inside the eye. The lens normally focuses light onto the retina, allowing you to see clearly.
As the lens becomes cloudy or yellow with age, vision may gradually become:
- Blurry or hazy
- Less sharp
- More difficult at night
- More sensitive to glare
- Affected by halos or starbursts around lights
- Less vivid, with colors appearing faded or yellow
- More difficult for reading, computer work, golf, driving, or other activities
Cataracts are extremely common with aging, although they can also develop earlier because of diabetes, previous eye injury or surgery, steroid medications, inflammation, radiation, and other factors.
When is it time for cataract surgery?
You do not need to wait until you are “almost blind” to have cataract surgery.
The right time depends on how much your cataract is affecting your quality of life and your ability to do the things that matter to you.
You may be ready to consider cataract surgery if you are having difficulty:
- Driving, especially at night
- Reading
- Using a computer
- Recognizing faces from a distance
- Playing golf or tennis
- Seeing road signs
- Watching television
- Working or performing hobbies
- Seeing in bright sunlight or low-light conditions
Sometimes a new glasses prescription can improve vision in the early stages of a cataract. When glasses can no longer provide the vision you need, cataract surgery may be the next step.
Modern cataract surgery
Cataract surgery removes the cloudy natural lens and replaces it with a clear artificial lens called an intraocular lens, or IOL.
The procedure is typically performed through a very small incision and usually takes less than 30 minutes. It is an outpatient procedure, so you go home the same day.
The goal is not simply to remove the cataract. We also consider:
What do you want to see after surgery?
Some patients want excellent distance vision and are comfortable wearing reading glasses. Others want to minimize their dependence on glasses for distance, computer work, and reading. Some patients have significant astigmatism that should be corrected at the time of surgery.
Your eye measurements, corneal health, lifestyle, previous prescriptions, and visual priorities all influence the recommended approach.
Choosing your lens implant
One of the most important decisions in cataract surgery is the selection of your IOL.
Depending on your eyes and goals, options may include:
- Monofocal lenses
- Enhanced monofocal lenses
- Toric lenses for astigmatism
- Extended depth-of-focus lenses
- Multifocal or trifocal lenses
- Light Adjustable Lens technology
There is no single lens that is best for everyone.
The best lens is the one that matches your eyes, your lifestyle, and your tolerance for glasses and potential visual side effects.
Advanced cataract surgery
Modern cataract surgery may incorporate several technologies to improve surgical planning and lens selection.
These can include:
- Advanced optical biometry
- Corneal measurements and astigmatism analysis
- Intraoperative measurements with ORA
- Toric IOL planning
- Femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery
- Advanced intraocular lenses
- Light Adjustable Lens technology
Technology is valuable when it helps us make a better decision for your individual eye. Not every patient needs every technology, which is why your evaluation is an important part of the process.
What can I expect after surgery?
Most patients experience a rapid improvement in vision following cataract surgery.
You will typically go home the same day and have a postoperative examination the following day. Vision may continue to improve as the eye heals.
Temporary symptoms can include:
- Mild irritation
- Light sensitivity
- Fluctuating vision
- Dryness
- Mild inflammation
- Temporary corneal swelling
Most patients can resume many normal activities quickly, although specific restrictions and timing depend on your individual surgery and healing.
Cataract surgery is about more than removing a cataract
The cataract is only one part of the decision.
A successful cataract consultation should answer three questions:
What is limiting my vision?
What do I want my vision to be like after surgery?
Which surgical and lens options are most appropriate for my eyes?
Our goal is to make those decisions understandable so that you can choose your cataract surgery with confidence.
Schedule a cataract consultation
If cataracts are affecting the way you drive, read, work, exercise, or enjoy everyday life, a comprehensive cataract evaluation can determine whether surgery may help.
Schedule a Cataract Consultation by calling 858-273-0200
This article was originally written on 08/25/2026 by Angelique Pillar, MD