A cataract is a clouding of the crystalline lens inside your eye. This lens is one of the key structures for focusing light at the back of your eye, where nerves send signals to your brain and you see an image. When the lens of your eye is clear and unclouded, it allows light to pass through. As your lens naturally clouds with age, it blocks some light from coming through. This causes vision to become yellowed and blurry, almost like looking through an amber filter or dirty glasses.
If you have trouble seeing clearly, call your doctor. If you are older than 40, get an eye exam every two years, even if you do not notice any vision changes.
Your doctor works with you to find the best way to improve and correct your vision. A stronger prescription or a magnifying glass can help.
Surgery becomes the best treatment option when your vision limits your daily activities or impedes your vision. Surgery is the only way to remove a cataract.
Cataract removal is a common procedure and is safely performed millions of times each year. During the procedure, the cataract surgeon removes the clouded lens that has affected your vision, and replaces it with a clear, artificial, intraocular lens. As a result, most patients can achieve a noticeable improvement in their vision. Cataract surgery used to require a fairly large incision in the eye, and the use of sutures to close that incision. Today, technological advances allow surgeons to work through an incision much smaller than in the past, usually requiring no sutures at all.
The procedure to remove a cataract takes approximately one hour. You will be awake for some of the procedure, but will receive light IV sedation or a numbing injection to make you comfortable throughout the procedure.
Cataract surgery is safe, with a low risk of any complications. It is the most commonly performed procedure in the world. Some people do get an infection or vision loss after the procedure. Be sure to discuss the risks and benefits of cataract surgery with your doctor.
You do not feel pain or pressure during cataract removal. You may feel mild pain and discomfort for a few days after surgery. Your doctor gives you pain medicine.
In rare cases, a secondary cataract can develop. Cloudiness builds up on the surface of the artificial lens. Your doctor can repair the lens with a 5-minute laser surgery. Your vision improves within 24 hours.
Untreated cataracts can lead to significant visual impairment and predisposes patients to falls, car accidents, and an overall decreased quality of life.
Numerous studies demonstrate an improvement in daily activities and subjective vision after cataract surgery.