What is a cataract?

Your eye functions much like a camera. Your natural lens focuses images onto the back of your eye so you can see clearly, much like the lens of a camera focusing images onto film for a clear picture. At birth, your natural lens is clear but will “yellow” over time. As you age, the lens may begin to gradually become “cloudy”. This condition is called a cataract, and is usually a result of the natural aging process. As the lens becomes cloudier, your vision slowly becomes more blurred. The most common complaint of patients with cataracts is difficulty driving at night due to glare.

A cataract can progress until eventually there is a complete loss of vision. Surgery is the only way a cataract can be removed. You should consider surgery when cataracts cause enough loss of vision to interfere with your daily activities.

Typically, cataract surgery involves removing the cloudy lens and implanting an Intraocular Lens (IOL). For most patients, the IOL has a prescription in it to correct for their distance needs. After surgery, many patients no longer have to depend on glasses to drive, but still have to wear them to read.

Cataract surgery is the most common surgical procedure. It is performed on an outpatient basis, and usually requires only a few hours of your time from start to finish. Your eye is treated with anesthetic prior to the procedure so you feel little if any discomfort. First, a tiny incision is made in the eye allowing our surgeon to use a small instrument (about the size of a pen tip) to break up and wash away the cloudy cataract. Once the cataract is removed, the IOL is inserted through the same tiny incision and set into its permanent position.

After the procedure, you’ll rest for a short while before you go home. Your doctor will typically examine your eyes within 24 hours. You’ll need prescription eye drops to guard against infection and help your eye heal. For a few days, you may wear a protective shield, especially at night to prevent you from rubbing your eye. Most patients see well enough to return to most routine activities the day after surgery.

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