Cataract Surgery in San Antonio
Understanding cataracts, and what to expect from surgery with Dr. Relief Jones, III
A cataract is a clouding of the eye’s natural lens that slowly blurs your vision, and cataract surgery to replace it with a clear lens implant is one of the safest and most common operations in medicine. At San Antonio Eye & Face Institute, Dr. Jones performs cataract surgery at the American Surgery Center of South Texas, and you’re evaluated and followed by your physician-owners from your first exam to your last follow-up. This page explains what cataracts are, how surgery works, and what to expect at every step.
Reviewed by Dr. Relief Jones, III, M.D. · Last updated: October 7, 2026
At a glance
| Treatment | Surgery to replace the cloudy lens with a clear artificial lens (intraocular lens, or IOL) |
| Surgeon | Dr. Relief Jones, III, M.D. |
| Evaluation | With Dr. Jones or Dr. Triana |
| Where | American Surgery Center of South Texas, 12838 Vista Del Norte, San Antonio |
| Surgery time | Usually 15 to 20 minutes; 30 to 40 minutes for dense or complex cataracts. Plan on 2 to 3 hours at the surgery center |
| Comfort | Numbed eye and IV sedation. You’re relaxed, not asleep |
| Stitches | Usually not needed |
| First follow-up | The day after surgery, then about a week later |
| Insurance | Standard cataract surgery is generally covered, including by Medicare. See insurance we accept |
| Lens options | Monofocal, toric, extended depth of focus, and multifocal – Learn about lens options |
What is a cataract?
The eye works like a camera. A lens inside the eye focuses light onto the retina, and when we’re young that lens is clear, so light passes through without degrading the image. As we age, the lens slowly becomes cloudy. A cloudy natural lens is called a cataract, and images passing through it are degraded, causing blurry vision and, in many cases, reversible vision loss.
Think of the headlights on a new car versus an older car: the older plastic clouds over time. Many patients ask whether a cataract is a film over the eye. It is not; it’s a change in the lens itself.
There are several types of cataracts, including nuclear (the most common), subcapsular, polar, and congenital. The type can affect your symptoms, and some types present a higher risk during surgery.
What are the symptoms of cataracts?
- Blurry or foggy vision
- Muted or dull colors
- Glare from sunlight or other lights
- Decreased night vision
- Halos around lights
- Glasses that no longer seem to work
Who gets cataracts?
Cataract formation begins in our 40s, but it usually doesn’t affect vision significantly until our 50s, 60s, or 70s. Cataracts are a leading cause of vision impairment in adults over 55, and the World Health Organization lists them as the leading cause of blindness worldwide. Unlike glaucoma or macular degeneration, cataracts are an expected part of aging: virtually everyone will develop them if they live long enough.
People with cataracts may have difficulty with driving, seeing at night, reading, using a computer, phone, or tablet, and seeing captions on TV.
What speeds up cataracts? Eye injuries, certain diseases, and some medications can speed them up. Long-term use of corticosteroids, even as a nasal spray, is a good example. Still, the vast majority of cataracts result from aging.
Can cataracts be prevented?
There is no proven way to prevent cataracts. Not smoking, managing diabetes, and wearing UV-blocking sunglasses support eye health and may help slow their progression, but no diet, supplement, eye drop, or sunglasses has been shown to prevent them. Researchers are studying whether eye drops could someday slow or reverse cataracts, but this hasn’t been shown in people, and no drop is currently proven to clear a cataract.
Is it presbyopia or a cataract?
Presbyopia is the age-related loss of near focus that begins around age 44 to 45, when the lens stiffens. It can make near activities difficult, much like a developed cataract, but it isn’t clouding and doesn’t require surgery. Glasses or contact lenses correct it. Only an eye exam can tell the two apart (and tell you whether something else, like dry eye or a retinal problem, is behind your symptoms).
How are cataracts treated?
Cataracts are treated with surgery. Cataract surgery is one of the safest surgeries in all of medicine, and it can improve quality of life in a short time. More than 3 million cataract surgeries are performed each year in the United States as outpatient (same-day) procedures.
In traditional cataract surgery, your eye is numbed and you’re given IV sedation. A small incision, about 2.4 mm long, is made at the edge of the cornea. An instrument about the size of a small pencil breaks up the cataract with ultrasound energy and removes the fragments. An artificial lens (intraocular lens, or IOL) is placed in the same spot as your original lens, through the same incision. In most cases, no stitches are needed; a technique using sterile water at the edge of the incision seals it.
How do I know if I need cataract surgery?
- A refraction. Your eye doctor uses a device called a phoropter to see whether glasses or contact lenses can improve your vision. If they can, that may be all you need.
- Difficulty with daily life. If your vision can’t be improved with a refraction, you may be a candidate for surgery, and for insurance purposes you need to have difficulty with daily activities, which is documented on a form at your final pre-surgical appointment.
- An overall eye health check. We make sure no other eye disease, especially in the back of the eye, is limiting your vision. Sometimes an ophthalmologist or retina specialist recommends removing a cataract so the back of the eye can be seen clearly and other diseases can be managed.
Choosing your lens
You’ll have options for the lens implant, and the choice helps determine how much you’ll rely on glasses afterward.
| Lens type | What it does |
|---|---|
| Monofocal | Sharp vision at one distance, usually far. Reading glasses are typically needed. Generally covered by insurance. |
| Toric | Corrects astigmatism as well, for sharper uncorrected distance vision. |
| Extended depth of focus (EDOF) | Extends the range of clear vision from distance into the intermediate range. |
| Multifocal | Focuses at more than one distance (far, intermediate, and near) to reduce dependence on glasses. |
Compare lens options in detail
Traditional vs. laser cataract surgery
Both are safe and effective, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology. In traditional surgery, the surgeon makes the incisions and the opening in the lens capsule by hand, then uses ultrasound to break up and remove the cataract. In laser-assisted surgery, a computer-guided laser performs those steps first, and ultrasound then removes the cataract. The laser adds precision, which can be valuable if you have astigmatism or want a premium lens, but large studies have not shown it improves results for the average patient. The laser portion typically costs more and isn’t covered by insurance. Dr. Jones will tell you which he recommends for your eyes. Learn more about laser cataract surgery
What to expect on surgery day
How long it takes. Most cataract surgeries take 15 to 20 minutes. A dense cataract can take 30 to 40 minutes, especially if the pupil doesn’t dilate fully, and these cases are considered complex. They may need extra steps, like a device to widen the pupil or dye to make the lens easier to see. Even so, plan to be at the surgery center for 2 to 3 hours.
Before surgery. You’ll register and be called to the pre-operative area, where nurses ask standard medical questions, place an IV in your arm, and give you 3 rounds of dilating drops. You’ll meet the anesthesiologist, then wait until your pupil is fully dilated.
In the operating room. A nurse and a surgical technician clean your eye and place a drape over your face, exposing only the eye being operated on. A frame keeps the drape off your face so you can breathe easily, and you receive fresh oxygen through your nose. You may hear Dr. Jones speaking with the surgical assistant, who hands him instruments and medications; Dr. Jones is the only person operating on your eye. The anesthesiologist is present throughout.
What you’ll feel. You won’t be asleep, but you’ll be relaxed from IV sedation, and your eye is numbed. You won’t see details of the surgery. You may feel water dripping on the eye and mild pressure, and many patients see colorful, kaleidoscope-like lights.
Your new lens. After the cataract is removed, the artificial lens is placed. When the speculum and drape come off, your eyelids are cleaned, drops are placed, and a clear plastic shield is taped over the eye before you go to recovery.
Recovery area. A nurse reviews your instructions, gives you something to drink and a small snack, and calls your family member to help you check out. The top of your instruction sheet lists the time of your visit the next day.
After surgery
Your post-operative instructions include:
- Don’t bend, lift, or strain. Don’t lift anything heavier than 7 pounds (about a gallon of milk).
- Keep your eye shield on. You’ll remove it briefly to put in your drops in the evening, and then take it off in the morning. You’ll need to wear it for 1 week, so don’t lose it.
- For discomfort, use Tylenol if you aren’t allergic and have no other reason to avoid it.
- Continue your glaucoma drops if you use them.
- Use your drops in the morning before your post-operative visit.
- No eye makeup for 1 week.
Can I drive home? No. A friend or family member must take you home, and the surgery center won’t release you to Uber or Lyft for safety reasons. You’ll need about 24 hours of recovery before you can drive yourself.
Will my vision be clear right away? Cataract surgery is minimally invasive, but results aren’t instant. On the first day, anesthesia, a dilated pupil, and mild inflammation may leave your vision blurry. It improves little by little each day, and it can take 1 to 2 weeks to see significant improvement. Be patient and keep using your drops as directed. After your day-1 visit, you’ll be seen again in about a week. If another condition, such as macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, or glaucoma, is also limiting your vision, cataract surgery alone may not improve it significantly.
Second eye. If both eyes need surgery, one is done at a time, typically 2-3 weeks apart.
What are the risks?
Cataract surgery is completed without complication in more than 99% of cases, and advances in technique and equipment continue to improve safety. Still, it’s not without risk, especially for people with existing health problems, and no guarantee can ever be made. The most common side effects and complications include:
- Pain, infection, or bleeding
- High eye pressure
- Retinal detachment
- Loss of vision, double vision, or, very rarely, loss of the eye
- A droopy eyelid
- The need for further surgery
- The need for glasses or contact lenses
It’s impossible to list every possible complication. We take precautions to avoid them, and if one occurs, we take steps to manage it and help you make a full recovery.
If your vision blurs again later
Sometimes the back of the natural lens capsule is cloudy after surgery, or becomes cloudy later (posterior capsule opacification). It’s common and doesn’t mean your surgery failed. A quick, painless in-office laser treatment called YAG laser capsulotomy opens a clear window and restores your vision.
Cost, insurance, and financing
- Insurance. Many plans, including Medicare, cover standard cataract surgery. They may not cover astigmatism correction, the laser, or premium lenses. See the insurance plans we accept
- Financing. We offer CareCredit so you can finance your procedure over time. Apply online
- If you’re choosing between traditional and laser surgery, see Laser Cataract Surgery for costs.
Why choose San Antonio Eye & Face Institute
- Physician-owned. You’re cared for directly by your doctors, from your first exam to your last follow-up.
- An experienced cataract surgeon. Dr. Relief Jones, III is board-certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and has performed thousands of cataract surgeries over more than two decades. Read Dr. Jones’s bio
- Glaucoma expertise. If you also have glaucoma, Dr. Jones is fellowship-trained in glaucoma (Massachusetts Eye and Ear/Harvard Medical School), so your cataract and glaucoma care can be coordinated.
- A full range of lens options and the laser, matched to your eyes and goals.
- Help with insurance and financing, so you understand your costs before surgery.
Organic Google Review:
Pat P.
“Dr. Jones did an amazing job performing the surgery on my wife’s eye’s installing new lenses. We highly recommend him to anyone with vision problems. Also his staff are so friendly and helpful explaining everything.”
Call (210) 485-1488 to schedule an appointment