Blurred vision from cataract is a common vision problem. Fortunately, surgery is available to remove the cataract and restore good vision.
What is a cataract?
A clear lens inside the eye normally helps focus light, allowing images to be seen clearly. With age, the lens gets cloudy. Clouding of the lens, especially when it interferes with vision is called a cataract. With cataracts people often have difficulty with driving, reading, watching television, or glare at night or in bright sunlight. Sometimes in the early stages a change in your glasses prescription can help you see better. As the cataract progresses and begins to interfere with your daily activities, surgery may be suggested to remove the cataract.
Cataract Surgery with Intraocular Lens Implantation
Removing cataracts with surgery is the only option. Cataract surgery is a safe, highly successful and common surgical procedure. Surgery is performed on an out-patient basis. A procedure called Phacoemulsification is used. With this small incision surgical technique, a special instrument uses sound waves (ultrasound) to break apart the cataract and remove it. An intraocular lens (implant) is inserted at the time of cataract removal as a replacement for the natural lens that was cloudy. Small incision cataract surgery usually does not require any stitches and usually means a shorter recovery time. After your eye has healed from the surgery, a change in your eyeglasses will be necessary to insure the sharpest vision. Cataract surgery cannot be performed with laser, however, a laser is used for "after cataract". This refers to a condition that may occur months or years after cataract surgery. The natural capsule of the lens is left in the eye intentionally with the cataract surgery to hold the intraocular lens implant in place. This membrane can become cloudy in time resulting in blurry vision similar to that caused by the cataract. The laser is used to make a small opening in this capsule restoring vision painlessly and immediately.