Cataract Surgery

What is a cataract?

As we age, the natural lenses in our eyes can become clouded. Cataracts can cause blurry/hazy vision, unusual glare, poor night vision, or reduced color and contrast perception. Especially in low light situations you will notice vision difficulty like night driving.

Most cataracts tend to develop slowly, and surgery may not be immediately necessary, but if your ability to read, drive or carry out other day to day normal activities is hindered, cataract surgery will likely be the best solution. Diabetes and use of certain medications such as Prednisone can accelerate the growth of cataract formation in a very short time.This will lead to cataract surgery at a much younger age than normal.

Cataract Surgery

Cataract surgery is a very common procedure, and complications (if any) are rare and treatable. The surgery itself is highly successful in improving the vision of patients about 95% of the time. Cataract surgery is an outpatient procedure usually taking less than 30 minutes to complete.

During the surgery, the doctor removes the cloudy natural lens from the eye while the patient is under a topical anesthesia and mild sedation. Next, the doctor inserts an intraocular lens (IOL), which remains permanently in place of the removed natural lens. The IOL compensates for the magnification of the old lens provided. Modern IOLs are designed for various functions and made out of different materials; your doctor will know which is most appropriate for your individual case. After the operation the doctor will apply a shield for the eye and provide you with eye drops to use as directed.

Recovery from Cataract Surgery

The patient may return home the day of the procedure. With proper rest and avoidance of any strenuous activities such as heavy lifting, recovery is usually a matter of days, with only minor discomfort. Several follow up appointments will be required to ensure the eye is healing properly and initial results are sustained.

If you are experiencing any symptoms of cataract problems, we encourage you to contact us today to schedule a consultation.

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