Cataract Surgery
Removal of cataracts is crucial to prevent severe loss of vision and the debilitating effects that this common condition can cause.
What Are Cataracts?
Our eyes function very much like a camera. You have two natural lenses in each eye. One lens on the surface (cornea) of your eye, and a second lens within your eye, called the crystalline lens. Together these lenses focus images inside the back of your eye on the retina. At birth, our crystalline lens is clear. As we begin to age, it yellows and begins to harden. When it becomes cloudy, it is defined as a cataract and begins to interfere with the quality of our vision.
What is the Cause of Cataracts?
Everyone will eventually develop cataracts as they age. Age-related cataracts may develop during middle age, but typically, they only begin to affect vision after age 60.
Health conditions like diabetes, eye injuries, prolonged use of steroid medications, UV ray exposure, and tobacco use also cause cataracts.
Symptoms of cataracts include blurred images, dull bright colors, and difficulty seeing at night. Cataracts may also be the reason your glasses do not seem to help keep things in focus as well as they used to. As cataracts begin to develop over time, people tend to accept and adjust to the decline in their lifestyles.
Treatments for Cataracts
If you have been diagnosed with cataracts, or if you are worried that you may have an undiagnosed cataract in either eye, the best thing to do is consult your eye doctor. It is also important to monitor your vision for significant vision loss or an inability to perform daily tasks like driving. If this occurs, you should come in to see our ophthalmologists and discuss the next steps and your options for potential surgery.
The Complete Guide to Cataract Treatment and Surgery
This free guide is meant to help people who suspect or know they have cataracts to make decisions. You will learn:
- How to determine if you need cataract surgery
- How to identify your vision goals
- All about cataract surgery laser advancements
- Who will be involved in your care
- What’s covered by insurance and what’s not
In addition, the guide details the recovery process after cataract surgery, including anticipated recovery time and potential side effects.