Cataract

What Are Cataracts?

A cataract is a painless clouding in the lens of the eye that causes vision impairment. Cataracts sometimes remain small and may not be noticeable. Frequently, cataracts do not need to be removed. However, many cataracts grow larger or more dense over time, causing severe vision changes.

Globally, cataracts are the leading cause of blindness, affecting 18 million people. Cataracts are even more significant as a cause of low vision, affecting 62 million worldwide.

What Are the Symptoms of Cataracts?

Not all cataracts impair vision or affect daily living. But when they do, common symptoms include:

Cloudy, fuzzy, foggy or filmy vision

Glare from lamps or the sun, which may be severe

Difficulty driving at night due to glare from headlights

Frequent changes in eyeglass prescription

Double vision

Second sight – temporary improvement in near vision (such as that needed for reading) in farsighted people

Difficulty performing daily activities because of vision problems

What Causes Cataracts?

Aging and exposure to ultraviolet radiation can cause cataracts. People may also experience cataracts after an eye injury, as a result of eye disease, after the use of certain medications, or as a result of medical conditions such as diabetes.

Genetics may be another risk factor for developing cataracts. People with a family history are more likely to develop them. The color of your eye may also contribute to the development of cataracts. People with darker-colored irises appear to have an increased risk of developing them.

How to Avoid Cataracts

Have your vision checked regularly for early detection

Wear sunglasses with 100 percent UV protection

Don't smoke

Wear protective eye gear, when active, to avoid eye trauma

How Are Cataracts Treated?

Cataracts are usually treated with surgery if vision problems are interfering with quality of life. Cataract surgery is very common and currently has the highest success rate of any surgical procedure. It involves removing the natural lens of the eye, which contains the cataract. The lens is then usually replaced with an artificial lens called an intraocular lens (IOL) implant.

How do our Drs. treat Cataracts?

Drs. Katz and Nahas are experts in the field of cataract surgery. They have performed thousands of cataract surgeries with excellent results. We perform no suture microincisional cataract surgery under topical anesthesia.