Giving Sight to the Blind: Cataract Surgery Returns Vision for Patient

For Dr. Alex Willoughby, cataract surgery is a routine, low risk surgery that can drastically improve a patient’s vision in a matter of minutes. It is one of the most performed outpatient procedures in the US. For Patrick Reedy, cataract surgery gave him his life back. It started five years ago when Reedy noticed a blurry spot on his new sunglasses. However, his glasses weren’t dirty or scratched --- he had a cataract. He continued to struggle, getting by with old reading glasses until his cataracts worsened to the point he couldn’t see. “I woke up one morning and I couldn’t see anything,” Reedy said. He said he put off seeing an eye doctor for a lot of reasons. “I guess I just thought of the worst,” Reedy said. “I thought if I could read with glasses, I could still do things. I also thought it was something I wasn’t going to be able to fix. I was scared. I was just kind of living with it and ignoring it.” Finally, his wife, Robyn, convinced him to seek help. They made an appointment with Dr. Willoughby at Centennial Umpqua Valley Eye Associates who explained the process and treatment options. “Cataracts are such a common reason for poor vision in adults. Usually, patients first notice glare with night driving and progressively blurry vision. When Patrick came to our clinic, I remember seeing his wife lead him down the hallway because he was virtually blind,” Willoughby said. Reedy’s cataracts were so dense, he was only able to see hand movements in his right eye and shadows with his left eye. “Probably once a month I see someone with a cataract like that, but with only one eye affected,” Willoughby said. However, in Patrick’s case, both eyes had mature cataracts. “This is very rare to find in the US as most cataracts are removed before they cause someone to become legally blind,” Willoughby said. As the natural crystalline lens ages, it becomes more and more cloudy, eventually turning into a cataract. During the surgery, two small incisions no larger than 2mm are made. The lens is then removed under a microscope using ultrasound energy. Finally, a new plastic lens is inserted through the incision and positioned securely in the eye. The incisions are so small they heal on their own without sutures. Reedy recalls, “I didn’t even know he was done. I never felt anything.” “As I finished the surgery and removed the drapes, Patrick looked over and said, ‘hey doc,’ which completely took me off-guard,” Willoughby said. “It was pretty emotional.” Over the next few weeks, Reedy’s second cataract was removed, resulting in excellent vision in both eyes. “After the second procedure, I’m totally 100% back to a normal, seeing life. I remember when my wife walked in the room, I read her shirt and it said, ‘show me your touchdown dance’ and I just read it to her.” “I guess my story is, if there’s anyone out there who is scared with eyes like that… there is help. They really have come a long way with their technology. You don’t have to let it go like I did.” “I feel so blessed,” Reedy said. If you feel like your vision is limiting your daily activities, the first step is to call 541-672-8288 and schedule an appointment with Dr. Willoughby.