Questions About Cataracts & Cataract Surgery
What is a cataract?
A cataract is a cloudiness in the eye’s natural lens; the lens lies between the front and back areas of the eye.
Is it true that cataracts are only found in older people?
About 50% of the general population has a cataract by the age of 65; just about everyone over the age of 75 has at least one cataract. In very rare cases, infants can have congenital cataracts. These, however, are usually related to the mother having German measles, chicken pox or some other infectious disease during her pregnancy. Cataracts can also be hereditary.
I was diagnosed with cataracts but my doctor wants to “wait” to treat them. Why?
Cataracts start very small typically and are practically unnoticeable; they will gradual grow larger, and when they begin to interfere with your vision and lifestyle, then it is time to remove them. You should visit your eye doctor regularly so he/she can monitor the progress of the cataracts. Some never reach the stage where they need to be removed, but when they make driving and everyday tasks difficult, surgery may be indicated.
How are cataracts removed? Is the surgery dangerous?
All surgery involves some risks including infection, bleeding, etc. However, the good news is that cataract surgery is the most commonly performed surgery in the United States each year, and most cataract surgeons have performed literally thousands of these procedures.
Your cataract surgeon will make a small incision and will either remove the lens as is, or he/she will use an ultrasound, laser, or surgical solution to break up the lens and then remove it. The back membrane of the lens is left in place, and, usually, a replacement lens called an intraocular lens (or IOL) is inserted.
Will I have to wear glasses after cataract surgery?
These days, patients who have IOLs implanted during cataract surgery may need reading glasses for close-up vision but for nothing else. In the past, patients had to wear very thick glasses after cataract surgery; thankfully, advances in technique and technology have eliminated the need for those unsightly thick glasses.
Please contact us for more information about IOL technology or to speak with an experienced cataract surgeon in your area.
