Cataracts are one of the leading causes of vision loss in people over 45. A condition that commonly develops as the eye ages, by the time we reach 80, more than half of us will have developed a cataract or underwent cataract surgery. Without cataract surgery, many of us would be unable to see the world around us with the same clarity or contrast.
Cataract Surgery at Dr.'s Eyecare Center In Burlington
What Are Cataracts?
A cataract is a clouding of the eye's natural lens, which lies behind the iris and the pupil. Cataracts is a disease of the eye that results in the clouding of the lens of the eyeball.
Cataracts prevent clear images from appearing on the eye’s retina; causing mild, moderate, even severe blurred vision.
What Causes Cataracts?
Cataracts are part of the natural aging process of the eye and therefore, if you live to an old age, you will likely eventually develop one. While most cases of cataracts develop as part of this process, there are instances of congenital cataracts which are present at birth.
Further, secondary or traumatic cataracts can occur at any age as a result of an eye injury, surgery or disease.
How Do Cataracts Interrupt Our Vision?
Normally, the lens in your eye is normally transparent. The lens, located inside the eye, behind the iris and the pupil, focuses light onto the retina at the back of your eye, where it is converted to nerve signals that are passed to the brain, allowing you to see.
When your lens becomes cloudy, the images projected onto your retina become blurry and unfocused and therefore the signal to the brain is also unclear. You can compare this to looking through a dirty or cloudy window. If the window is not clear, you can’t see well.
Environmental, Health And Behavioral Risk Factors For Cataracts
While the risk of developing a cataract does increase as you age, it is not the only risk factor. Research shows that there are environmental, health and behavioral risk factors that can also play a role in cataract development. Many of these risk factors are avoidable and preventable.
- Smoking and excessive alcohol consumption
- Prolonged exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun or other sources
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- Hypertension
- Certain medications such as steroids or statin medications
- History of eye injury or eye surgery
- Family history
Since they are largely a part of the natural aging process of the eye, cataracts can’t necessarily be avoided, however knowing if you have additional risk factors can help you to take preventative steps to delay the onset of the condition.
When To Consider Cataract Surgery?
Cataract surgery should be considered when the condition begins to seriously impair your vision to the extent that it affects your daily life such as:
- Reading
- Driving
- Playing golf or tennis
- Playing cards
- Watching TV
Sometimes surgery is also necessary if the cataracts are preventing treatment of another eye problem. Remember, cataracts don’t suddenly develop overnight. They generally start off small and only begin to noticeably affect your vision as they grow. Speak with your cataract surgeon for more information about when to consider surgery.
The first symptom is usually that your vision becomes blurred, hazy or cloudy. Additionally, you may become sensitive to light, making sunlight, oncoming headlights or indoor lighting appear exceptionally glaring or bright. Colors may seem dim and you may notice halos around lights or double vision.
- Blurry or cloudy vision
- Glare from lamps or sunlight
- Colors appear dim
- Halos around lights
- Double vision
- Poor night vision
Detecting Cataracts
During the evaluation of your eye health, an eye doctor will carefully examine your lens for signs of cataract formation. If a cataract is noticed and the clouding is causing visual disruption, an optometrist will refer you to a trusted and respected cataract surgeon for surgery, which is the only known cure for cataracts.
About Cataract Surgery
Well over 90% of operations are successful in restoring useful vision, with a low complication rate. Day care, high volume, minimally invasive, small incision phacoemulsification with quick post-op recovery has become the standard of care.
Modern cataract surgery is frequently done as an outpatient procedure. Patients will have greatly improved vision the next day, and will continue to improve over the next few weeks. Surgery is often done in one eye first.
Cataract surgery involves removing the clouded natural lens and usually replacing it with a clear, plastic intraocular lens (IOL) that becomes a permanent part of the eye. It is a relatively quick and painless procedure.
Selecting the right IOL for your eyes, lifestyle and vision is a decision that should be made together with a trusted eye doctor.