For Those Who Are Hesitating About Cataract Surgery: Reasons We Recommend Surgery

1. Freedom from Troublesome Cataract Symptoms

The symptoms of cataracts are not limited to “reduced vision.

Typical symptoms include:
Hazy or cloudy vision
Blurred vision
Sensitivity to light
Having double or triple vision with one eye
Difficulty distinguishing colors
Difficulty seeing in dim light

Surgery can free you from these troubling symptoms.
If you experience any of these on a daily basis, please visit our clinic as soon as possible.
If cataracts are the cause, we recommend surgery.

2. A Short Procedure

Cataract surgery at our clinic is completed in a short time (about 10–15 minutes).
The incision is very small (about 2 mm).

Anesthetic eye drops are used. No injections are required.

Even if you are taking multiple medications, this does not interfere with surgery.
You do not need to stop medications that make your blood less likely to clot.

3. After Surgery

If you are worried about the postoperative period, there is no need to worry. An eye patch is not necessary after surgery.
For about one week after surgery, you will wear protective glasses with side shields.
Immediately after surgery, due to the effects of pupil-dilating drops, the operated eye may be slightly blurry.
However, your vision will be significantly clearer and brighter, compared to before having the surgery. You can walk with both eyes open and return home on your own.
Two days after surgery, you may wash your face and hair, and you may also return to work.

4. Multifocal Intraocular Lenses Now Available

For those who have difficulty seeing up close, we recommend a “multifocal intraocular lens (IOL)” that allows focus at both near and far distances.
Previously, “monofocal intraocular lenses” were used for cataract surgery, and they focus at only one distance.
Because the artificial lens does not have the focusing ability, glasses are needed to focus at other distances.
In contrast, multifocal intraocular lenses are designed to focus at multiple distances. See here for more details.

Other Benefits

Correction of Nearsightedness and Farsightedness

Cataract surgery also has the aspect of “refractive correction surgery.” In other words, it can significantly reduce nearsightedness or farsightedness.
Astigmatism can also be reduced (however, certain irregular types of astigmatism cannot be corrected).

Prevention of Glaucoma Attacks

In special cases—such as patients with “angle closure” (a condition where the drainage pathway of fluid inside the eye is narrow)—early cataract surgery is recommended.
In eyes with angle closure, fluid drainage is impaired, increasing the risk of a sudden rise in eye pressure known as a “glaucoma attack.”
Cataract surgery widens the drainage angle and can reduce the risk of such attacks.

Protection from Ultraviolet (UV) Light

Once implanted, intraocular lenses generally do not need to be replaced.
Just as ultraviolet light can cause skin cancer, it can also damage the retina. Intraocular lenses have UV-blocking properties that protect the eyes from harmful ultraviolet rays.

Regulation of the Body’s Internal Clock

When cataracts prevent light from reaching the back of the eye, the biological clock can become disrupted.
Cataract surgery restores proper light transmission and may help regulate the body’s natural rhythm.

Driving Safety

In Japan, traffic fatalities have decreased dramatically compared to several decades ago.
While there are many reasons for this, improvements in vision due to advances in cataract surgery may also play a role.
If cataracts are beginning to interfere with your driving, we recommend having surgery sooner rather than later.

Cataract surgery can brighten your mood and help you feel youthful

Possible Relationship with Dementia and Depression

Vision loss in older adults has been linked to dementia and depression. Many studies report that improved vision after cataract surgery may lead to improvement in mild dementia.

Possible Relationship with Longevity

In recent years, Japanese life expectancy has become one of the highest in the world.
While there are many contributing factors, advances in cataract surgery may also play a role by improving vision, reducing injuries, and helping people remain active even at an advanced age.
and helping people remain active even at an advanced age.

Our clinic is fully equipped with the latest treatment technology and performs cataract surgery under optimal conditions. We invite you to visit us for a consultation.

Doctor career

Director:Yasuhiro Shinkawa

(Registered Recipient of a Diploma of Ophthalmology)

Appointment form

Memberships

Japan Ophthalmological Society
Japanese Retina and Vitreous Society
Japanese Society of Ophthalmic Surgeons

Certification of Completion

Course of Ophthalmic PDT Study Group
Number of cataract surgery up to the present:About 4000

Career

2001 Graduate-Medical Department of Kumamoto University
2002 Department of Ophthalmology Kyoto University School of medicine
2002 Shimada Municipal Hospital
2008 Japanese Red Cross Society
2010 Kitano Hospital The Tazuke Kofukai Medical Research Institute
2014 Shinjuku-Higashiguchi Eye Clinic

Doctor:Fumiyo Hasegawa

(Registered Recipient of a Diploma of Ophthalmology)

Appointment form

Memberships

Japan Ophthalmological Society
Japan Ophthalmologists Associasion
Japanese Association for Strabismus and Amblyopia(JASA)

Career

1992 Graduate- Medical Department of Teikyo Univercity
2002 The head ophthalmologist at International Catholic Hospital
2020 Shinjuku-Higashiguchi Eye Clinic

Main Thesis

Sequelae of ocular trauma in schools.(Japanese)
A case of periodic upper and lower strabismus with loss of periodicity after cataract surgery(Japanese)
Quantitative analysis of eye movement during a cover test for patients with intermittent exotropia(Japanese)

We have 7 full-time service orthoptist, 2 part-time orthoptists, 1 full-time nurse and 4 part-time nurses in our clinic.
Another several ophthalmologists are working here.

Shinjuku-Higashiguchi Eye Clinic

Cataract surgery