What are Cataracts?

Cataracts are the clouding of the lens of the eye, which is normally clear. They can cause vision to become blurry and make everyday activities difficult such as reading, driving a vehicle, or even seeing people’s faces clearly.

When a cataract first develops, it may only affect a small area of your eye and you may not experience noticeable symptoms. However, as the cataract grows symptoms may become more apparent, including:

Blurred, cloudy, or dim vision.
Sensitivity to light.
Difficulty seeing at night.
Seeing “halos” around lights.
Double vision in one eye.
Needing brighter light in order to read.

Many cataracts form when an injury, aging, certain eye conditions, or past eye surgery changes the tissues that make up the eye’s lens. The lens will begin to break down, resulting in cloudy or blurry vision. You may have an increased risk of developing cataracts if you have diabetes, smoke, are obese, have high blood pressure, have partaken in prolonged use of corticosteroid medications, and more. Be sure to speak with your eye doctor about any concerns you may have regarding your risk of cataracts.

KNOW YOUR DOCTOR

Dr. Archana Gupta

Cataract Surgeon, Ophthalmologist, Cornea & External Diseases Specialist

Dr. Archana Gupta is a board certified ophthalmologist. She specializes in cataract, cornea, external diseases and refractive surgery.

BOOK APPOINTMENT READ MORE

Cataract Treatment Options

During early stage cataracts, non surgical treatments such as brighter lighting, eye drops, and updated eyeglasses or contact lenses may help with maintaining good vision. Although these options cannot remove cataracts, they can manage early cataracts or cataracts early in their development. Cataracts happen when the natural lens becomes a cloudy lens. As the lens cloudy condition progresses, a clouded lens or clouded natural lens may make vision blurry, causing vision problems, vision loss, or symptoms associated with another eye disease.

When symptoms interfere with daily life after cataracts begin, available cataract surgery options can restore clear vision. During surgery, the affected lens is removed while the lens capsule remains in place to support an intraocular lens. This artificial intraocular lens, also called an intraocular lens IOL, can provide vision correction, correct refractive errors, and create improved vision. Options include a light adjustable lens or an extended depth lens designed to enhance distance vision and intermediate vision. Depending on the lens selected, patients may still need corrective lenses or glasses or contacts to achieve clear vision.

Cataract Surgery

During surgery, the clouded cataract lens will be removed, and a clear artificial lens will take its place. There are a number of ways to remove a cataract, including using an ultrasound probe to break up the lens for removal, or making an incision in the eye and removing the lens in one piece. Your doctor will choose which option they prefer. Overall, this procedure takes an hour or less to perform.

There are also some steps that you can take to support your overall eye health if you are diagnosed with cataracts, including:

Schedule annual eye exams.
Make sure that your contact lens or eyeglass prescriptions are up-to-date.
Protect your eyes from UV light with sunglasses.
Quit smoking.
Take the proper steps to care for health problems such as diabetes.

TRUST THE RESULTS

"Pleasant, Prompt and Professional"

It was pleasant, prompt and professional. The Dr.'s assistant was very helpful and explained the procedure well.

- MM

Schedule Your Free Consultation Today

Are you experiencing symptoms associated with cataracts? If so, contact Advance Eye Surgeons today to schedule an appointment for timely diagnosis and treatment.