Cataract Surgery

Introduction

A cataract is a progressive clouding of the normally clear lens of the eye, which inhibits or diminishes the passage of light to the retina. Cataracts are most commonly caused by aging, but may be related to family history, eye injury, eye surgery, diabetes, some medications and long-term exposure to sunlight. Cataract formation occurs at different rates and can affect one or both eyes at the same time. When a cataract interferes with vision to the point where daily activities become difficult, a patient may wish to have it surgically removed.

Symptoms of Cataracts

Common cataract symptoms include poor night vision, sensitivity to light, a blurring of vision and a fading or yellowing of colors. Many usually describe the condition as looking through a window that is frosted or “fogged” with steam. Over time, the cataract may grow larger and cloud more of the lens, making it more difficult to see clearly.

Cataract Surgery

With cataract surgery, your eye's cloudy natural lens is removed and replaced with a clear artificial lens implant called an intraocular lens or IOL. The experienced surgeons at Ohio Eyecare Specialists, Inc. have performed tens of thousands of successful cataract surgeries. Cataract surgery is one of the most popular and successful surgical procedures performed today - over 98 percent of all cataract surgeries result in an improvement in vision. In fact, a study by the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery recently reported that more than 98 percent of cataract patients had their vision successfully improved following surgery. Many patients report vision that is even better than before they developed cataracts. Each year in the United States, over a million cataract procedures are performed.

Today, cataract surgery is performed as an outpatient procedure under local anesthesia and takes approximately 10-20 minutes. Physicians at Ohio Eyecare Specialists remove the cataract using a technique called micro-incision cataract surgery. An advanced technique called phacoemulsification uses high-energy sound waves to break the cataract into microscopic particles, which are then gently suctioned from the eye. Once the cataract has been removed, a new clear lens, called an intraocular lens implant (IOL) is put in the place of the natural lens. Patients are free to return home the same day. While everyone heals at a different rate, most patients return to their normal work or lifestyle within one to two weeks.

To learn more about the causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of cataracts, click on the eye animation below:

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