June 16, 2025

This piece is sponsored by Vance Thompson Vision.

Cataract surgery is one of the biggest success stories of modern medicine. It’s the most commonly performed surgery in the United States. With how commonly it’s performed, it’s hard to believe how many people are unfamiliar with cataracts, what they are and how they can impact vision.

June is Cataract Awareness Month, and Dr. John Berdahl with Vance Thompson Vision explains how there’s no better time to learn about this disease and how, thanks to their advanced technology, you can live life with clearer vision.

To see how far cataract surgery has come, Berdahl said we must first look back. “30 years ago or so, when you had cataract surgery, it was one eye at a time,” he explained. “You went into the hospital under general anesthesia, then you’d lie in a hospital bed for four days with sandbags behind your head.”

Today, thanks to advanced technology, he said the procedure has improved on two important fronts: the technology that improves outcomes and helps people return to their lives faster.

“Our ability to measure the shape of the cornea, predict where that lens is going to sit in the eye, the formulas and the testing that we use – not to mention how much better the lenses are – all have led to outcomes where patients are happier,” Berdahl said.

Despite improvements in the overall technology, Berdahl said there’s still one hurdle that often prevents patients from taking the leap: how soon they can return to their day-to-day activities.

“When you think about what the purpose of a doctor is, our job is to have you not be in our office. It’s our job to have you out there living the best life that you can.”

One way the Vance Thompson Vision team achieves efficiency in cataract surgery is through its See & Do Program. “You get your exam, your surgery, and your second surgery in the span of two days,” Berdahl said.

This has been more convenient for patients because they don’t have to wait long between eyes and can get back to their lives much quicker.

Vance Thompson Vision continues to make large advancements in cataract surgery with its unique MKO Melt, which helps with patient sedation.

“You don’t have to poke someone with an IV,” Berdahl said. “And, more importantly, there are no opioids.”

This sedative helps doctors avoid the need to use drugs on patients that can have harmful side effects. In addition, the team gives patients a special injection during surgery, which helps shorten recovery time.

“The patient doesn’t even feel it, and what it leads to is that the patient doesn’t need to use multiple drops with different regimens during the recovery process,” Berdahl said. “The patient only has to use one combo drop and remember to apply it once every day.”

These advancements in cataract surgery are only a handful of ways Vance Thompson Vision continues to differentiate itself and improve patient care.

“I’ll go back to a quote from my grandma: ‘People don’t care what you know until they know that you care.’” Berdahl said. “If that piece isn’t there, the other things don’t really matter much.”

This Cataract Awareness Month, and every month, Berdahl and the expert team of doctors at Vance Thompson Vision are dedicated to improving lives through research and providing clearer vision.

If you are wondering if your vision could be better or want to find out if you are a candidate for cataract surgery, call your eye doctor or learn more through a consultation at Vance Thompson Vision. To schedule, call us at 605-361-EYES (3937).