Cataract surgery happens once. The lens you choose is how you’ll see for the rest of your life.

Cataracts are a very common, age-related change in the eye’s natural lens. Common symptoms include glare or halos around oncoming headlights at night, colors that look duller, blurry vision, difficulty reading or seeing road signs, and a glasses prescription that keeps changing. Cataracts form slowly: as we age, the proteins in the eye’s natural lens start to clump together, which blocks light from reaching the back of the eye. Because the change is gradual, many people don’t notice it until it gets in the way of driving or reading — and sometimes there are few symptoms at all, which is why an evaluation by an eye specialist matters.

Cataract surgery replaces your natural lens with a clear artificial one, and the lens you choose sets your range of vision. Most patients choose vision correction — advanced lenses (often called premium lenses) that reduce your dependence on glasses. Depending on your goals, that means an advanced monofocal (TECNIS Eyhance) for sharper distance, a multifocal IOL (Envy™, Odyssey™) or EDOF lens (PureSee™) for a full range of vision, or the Light Adjustable Lens, which we fine-tune after surgery. We also offer standard cataract surgery with a monofocal lens and low-level astigmatism correction (LRI) — all the benefits of surgery with Dr. Vrabec, for patients happy to keep wearing glasses. Your comprehensive evaluation confirms which is the right fit for your eyes. What is the best lens implant to get with cataract surgery? →

It depends on the lens you choose. With a basic single-distance (standard monofocal) lens, plan on wearing glasses — about two-thirds of patients need them only for intermediate and reading, while the rest rely on glasses more of the time, including for distance. With an advanced vision-correction lens, most patients become far less dependent on glasses across distance and mid-range tasks like driving, the dashboard, and the computer. For the very smallest print, you may still want light reading glasses. Your consult will set realistic expectations for your eyes.

A basic monofocal lens focuses at just one distance, so you’ll typically wear glasses for everything else — it’s the default most offices fit. It also doesn’t correct astigmatism, so you may not get any range fully in focus without glasses — a basic lens leaves part of your result to chance. Advanced vision-correction lenses extend your range so more of daily life stays in focus, correct astigmatism, and reduce your dependence on glasses. At your evaluation we recommend the specific lens that best fits your eyes and goals. Astigmatism correction options →

Yes, in part. Medicare and most medical insurance cover removing the cataract and a basic lens that doesn’t fully correct most prescriptions. Correcting your prescription — which determines how well you actually see — is the part insurance doesn’t cover, and that portion is out-of-pocket. Your initial comprehensive eye evaluation is billed to your medical insurance, with self-pay options available. At that visit we walk through exactly what your insurance covers and what your lens options are. If you’d rather use only your insurance and pay nothing out of pocket, that’s available at many hospitals and surgery centers, and we’re glad to recommend one — we don’t cut corners to fit an insurance allowance when we think it would compromise your result. Cataract Surgery Cost: What’s Covered by Insurance and Medicare? →

It depends on the path you choose. Insurance covers removing the cataract and a basic lens; the out-of-pocket portion covers correcting your prescription. There are two paths at Clear Vision: standard cataract surgery with a monofocal lens and low-level astigmatism correction (LRI), for patients comfortable keeping their glasses, and vision correction with an advanced lens to reduce your dependence on glasses. Your exact figure depends on your goals, your candidacy, and the lens technology that fits your eyes, so we review it with you at your comprehensive eye evaluation — a thorough 1.5–2 hour assessment billed to your medical insurance, with self-pay options available. We also go over financing (0% APR for qualified borrowers; additional options by phone) and HSA/FSA eligibility, with no obligation to proceed. Cataract Surgery Cost: What’s Covered by Insurance and Medicare? →

Cataract surgery is performed in our private, accredited on-site suite with laser-guided precision (Zeiss Callisto®), one eye at a time, with numbing drops and relaxing medication — no IVs, no hospital. Each eye takes 10–15 minutes in the procedure room. Many patients notice clearer vision within days, and your care team reviews exactly what to expect at your consult. How to take care of your eyes after surgery →

Yes, we offer laser cataract surgery (laser-assisted cataract surgery). We recommend it when the shape or condition of your eye makes it the better choice, and we’ll tell you at your consultation if that’s you.

Most patients are awake but relaxed, and you shouldn’t feel pain. We numb the eye with drops, so there’s no needle, and relaxing medication keeps you comfortable. Each eye takes 10–15 minutes in our suite, and you go home the same day.

You’ll use prescription drops to prevent infection and calm inflammation while your eye heals. You’ll get a written schedule that tapers over the first several weeks, and our team will walk you through it before surgery. For a surgeon’s tips on what to expect, read how to prep to take care of your eyes after cataract surgery.

Sometimes, months or years later. This is called a secondary cataract, and it isn’t a new cataract — the thin capsule that holds your new lens implant becomes hazy. It’s treated with a quick, painless YAG laser procedure in our office that usually clears your vision right away, and it generally only needs to be done once.

Dr. Vrabec performs more than 1,000 lens procedures every year, and has performed more than 4,000 cataract procedures at Clear Vision Center since 2019, with complication rates at or below published national benchmarks. We publish our own numbers next to the registry numbers: How safe is cataract surgery? →

About 3% of our patients benefit from a follow-up enhancement. With any premium lens or astigmatism-correction package, that enhancement is included at no extra cost. We’ll explain exactly what your package covers before you decide anything.

Yes. Refractive lens exchange is the same operation as cataract surgery, performed before a cataract forms, for adults 45 and over who rely on readers or progressives. It also means a cataract can never develop. Learn about refractive lens exchange →