-
- Find A Provider
-
Services
- Addiction Recovery
- Audiology
- Behavioral Health
- Cardiac Rehabilitation
- Cardiology
- Chiropractic Care
- Colon Cancer Screening
- Dermatology Services
- Diabetes Education
- ER & Urgent Care
- Family Medicine
- Home Care
- Hospice
- Infusion Therapy
- Internal Medicine
- Laboratory
- Long Term Care Facility
- Men's Health
- Nutrition Services
- Orthopedics
- Pain Management
- Podiatry
- Radiology/Diagnostic Imaging
- Rehabilitation Services
- Respiratory Care
- Senior Care Unit
- Sleep Medicine
- Surgery
- Swing Bed/Transitional Care
- Women's Health
- Patients & Visitors
- Facilities & Pharmacy
- About Us
-
Cataract Surgery, Close to Home
January 8, 2026
Mille Lacs Health System (MLHS) is pleased to announce that cataract surgery is now available locally. Dr. Adam Ahlquist of Great River Eye Clinic is back at MLHS and providing cataract surgery evaluations and performing cataract surgery, helping patients receive this common service close to home. After surgery, patients will return to MLHS for follow-up care with Dr. Ken Dodge of Pierz Eyecare. Please note that MLHS does not currently offer full eye exams, but cataract surgery evaluations, cataract surgery, and follow-up visits are available through this partnership.
Cataracts are a common condition that affects vision over time, especially as we age. They can make it harder to see clearly and may impact daily activities. A cataract is a clouding of the eye’s natural lens, which normally helps focus light for clear vision. Because the change can happen gradually, many people don’t notice the problem right away. Over time, cataracts can make daily tasks like reading, driving, or recognizing faces more difficult.
Cataract surgery is the only way to remove a cataract. During the procedure, the cloudy natural lens is removed and replaced with a clear artificial lens called an intraocular lens, or IOL. Cataract surgery is typically an outpatient procedure, meaning most patients go home the same day. Many patients notice clearer vision soon after surgery, and most can return to normal activities within a short period of time.
Dr. Ahlquist also provides an option for certain patients diagnosed with glaucoma who are undergoing cataract surgery. The iStent is a medical device designed to help lower pressure within the eye in adults diagnosed with mild to moderate open-angle glaucoma who are currently being treated with medication and who are having cataract surgery. Implanting the iStent involves a micro-invasive procedure designed to help spare important eye tissues that can be affected by more traditional surgeries.
If vision changes are interfering with your daily life, cataracts may be the cause. Common symptoms include cloudy, blurry, or dim vision; increased glare or sensitivity to bright light (especially headlights at night); halos around lights; difficulty seeing at night; needing brighter light for reading or close-up work; colors that look faded or yellowed; frequent changes in eyeglass or contact lens prescription; or double vision in one eye. Cataracts are common and treatable, and care is now available close to home through Mille Lacs Health System. To schedule a cataract appointment with Dr. Ahlquist, call 218-546-5108.