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A cataract is the clouding of the natural crystalline lens inside your eye. It most commonly occurs with age in patients over the age of 55, but may occur earlier due to injury, certain medications, or a genetic predisposition. Common symptoms of cataracts include glare at night, "filmy" vision, or needing more light to see. The treatment of a cataract is to have cataract surgery, where the cloudy natural lens is removed and replaced with a clear intraocular lens (IOL).
Although patients may find the thought of cataract surgery frightening, cataract surgery is one of the safest and most successful types of outpatient surgery, and can provide patients with life-changing improvements to their vision. Dr. Goodman uses the most modern technique of cataract extraction: suture-less, small incision surgery, and is the founder and Medical Director of the Eye Surgery Center of San Francisco, Northern California's newest and most modern single specialty eye surgery ambulatory surgery center.
Presbyopia & Lens Implants
Presbyopia is the inability to focus at near distances that naturally occurs with age, and it affects just about everyone who has cataracts. In the past, patients undergoing cataract surgery needed to wear bifocals or reading glasses after cataract surgery in order to see things at closer distances. Intraocular lens implants such as ReSTOR®, ReZoom™ and Crystalens™ are now available and are specifically designed to provide patients with distance, near, and intermediate vision. Cataract patients now have the opportunity to be less dependent or even free of glasses, readers or bifocals after cataract surgery, with clear vision to drive, watch TV, as well as read the newspaper or work at the computer. Call our office to schedule a consultation to see if you are a candidate for one of these new intraocular lenses.
ReSTOR®
 The AcrySof ReSTOR® Intraocular Lens replaces the natural lens after cataract surgery. It has a patented optic design using apodization, diffraction and refraction technologies. The apodized diffractive optic design gives it the ability to focus light correctly on the retina for images at near and far distances without mechanical movement of the lens. The AcrySof ReSTOR® Intraocular Lens has been shown in a clinical study to provide good near and distance vision with increased independence from glasses. At your consultation, Dr. Goodman will be able to tell you if you are a candidate for the AcrySof ReSTOR® Intraocular Lens.
ReZoom™
 The ReZoom™ Multifocal Lens has a patented lens design called Balanced View Optics™ Technology. This lens design creates multiple focal points so patients can see well at near, intermediate, or far distances. Each ReZoom™ Multifocal Lens is divided into five different zones with each zone designed for different light and focal distances. Unlike other earlier multifocal lens designs, the ReZoom™ Multifocal Lens has proportioned the size of its zones to provide for good vision in a range of light conditions. For instance, some zones have been designed to offer greater low light-distance vision during night driving whereas others provide better bright light-near vision for close vision activities. At your consultation, Dr. Goodman will be able to tell you if you are a candidate for the ReZoom™ Multifocal Lens.
Crystalens™
 Crystalens™, is a single-focus accommodating intraocular lens with "hinges" which theoretically works with your natural eye muscles to allow the lens to move, or accommodate to focus on objects near, far and in-between. At your consultation, Dr. Goodman will be able to tell you if you are a candidate for the Crystalens™ intraocular lens implant.
The cornea is the clear covering of the front of the eye which bends (refracts) light rays as they enter the eye. For clear vision to occur, the cornea must have the correct shape and power to focus incoming light rays precisely on the retina at the back of the eye. When the cornea loses its transparency, whether from injury, infection or disease, transplantation may be recommended to replace it.
Corneal transplants are usually performed with local anesthesia so there is no pain. During the procedure, the cornea is replaced with one from a human donor. The new cornea carries little risk of rejection and can last for many years.
A pterygium is a raised growth in the conjunctiva (the surface of the eye) made mostly of collagen and tiny red capillaries. Pterygiums are usually caused by extended exposure to sunlight. They may remain stable after appearing, or they may grow and affect vision. Treatments include eye drops for irritation and redness, protection from sunlight and dust to prevent the pterygium from worsening, and occasionally steroids to lessen inflammation. If the pterygium grows into the central cornea, surgical removal is recommended. This prevents the pterygium from altering the cornea’s shape and affecting vision.
Dry eye is the term for when your eyes are insufficiently moisturized, either because they do not produce enough tears or because the tears have an improper chemical composition. It often occurs during the natural aging process, but it can also form as a result of eyelid or blinking problems, certain medications (antihistamines, oral contraceptives, antidepressants), climate (low humidity, wind, dust), injury, and various health problems (arthritis, Sjogren’s syndrome).
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