See clearly again — with confidence.

How Cataract Surgery Works

During surgery, Dr. Dale removes your cloudy natural lens and replaces it with a clear artificial lens called an intraocular lens (IOL). Here’s what you should know:

• The procedure takes about 15 minutes per eye
• You’ll go home the same day
• We use mild sedation — you’ll be awake but relaxed and comfortable
• If both eyes need surgery, we typically schedule them 1–2 weeks apart
• Most patients notice improved vision within a day or two

Dr. Dale performs both laser-assisted and traditional cataract surgery. Laser-assisted surgery uses a femtosecond laser to perform key steps of the procedure with image-guided precision, and is paired with all advanced technology lens options. Traditional surgery accomplishes the same steps using microsurgical instruments and is equally safe and effective. During your consultation, Dr. Dale will recommend an approach based on your vision goals, your eye measurements, and how much of an investment you’d like to make — so you get the best outcome for your situation, not a one-size-fits-all plan.

Many patients tell us they see beautiful lights and colors during the procedure (but they can’t see the surgery itself!). The most common thing we hear afterward? “That was so much easier than I expected.”

Choosing the Right Lens for Your Life

The new lens we place during surgery is permanent, and every option we offer is made from excellent, high-quality materials. Choosing the right lens is one of the most important conversations we’ll have — and Dr. Dale will walk you through your options based on your eyes, your vision goals, and your daily routine.

Here’s a general overview:

Standard (monofocal) lens

Covered by insurance. Gives you clear vision at one set distance, usually far. Most people still wear reading glasses afterward.

Advanced technology lenses

These are premium lenses that correct for more than one distance or reduce astigmatism. Options include:

• Toric lenses — correct astigmatism so you’re less dependent on glasses for distance
• Extended depth of focus lenses — give you a continuous range of clear vision from distance through intermediate (like your computer screen)
• Multifocal lenses — designed to reduce dependence on glasses at all distances, though some patients notice halos around lights at night
• Light Adjustable Lens (LAL) — the only IOL that can be fine-tuned after surgery, using painless UV light treatments in the office. Instead of locking in your lens power before surgery, the LAL lets us optimize your vision based on how your eye actually heals

What to Expect

Before surgery

• Pre-operative measurements — We take precise measurements of your eye to calculate the right lens power. This is painless and done in-office.
• Medical clearance, if needed — For some patients, we’ll coordinate with your other doctors to make sure everything is in order before surgery.
• Meet with our surgery coordinator — Sabrina will walk you through the details: what to do and what to avoid in the days leading up to surgery, what to expect on surgery day, and answer any logistical questions.
• Treating dry eye first, if needed — Dry eye can affect the accuracy of your lens measurements and your comfort after surgery. If we find significant dry eye at your pre-operative visit, we may treat it first and bring you back for a second set of measurements once your eye surface is healthier. It’s an extra step, but it means more precise results.
• Eye drops — You’ll start a course of eye drops before surgery and continue them for a few weeks afterward. We offer a simplified compounded drop that combines your medications into one bottle — so instead of juggling multiple bottles on different schedules, it’s one drop.

We encourage questions — before, during, and after. You can message Dr. Dale directly through our patient portal.

Surgery day

Cataract surgery is performed at an outpatient surgery center — not in our office. You’ll need someone to drive you. Plan on being there for a few hours total, even though the procedure itself is quick.

• You’ll be awake but sedated — relaxed and comfortable
• The procedure takes about 15 minutes
• You’ll rest briefly in recovery, then go home with a clear eye shield
• Most patients notice improved vision within a day or two, though full healing takes several weeks

Recovery

Recovery is straightforward for most people:

Related: What is a cataract? • YAG capsulotomy (secondary cataracts) • Not sure if you have cataracts? Start here • Glaucoma + cataracts? Combo surgery