More than 50% of people over the age of 60, and a large percentage of those younger, have vision that is impaired by cataracts.
A cataract is a clouding of the normally clear lens of the eye. This lens is located behind the iris (colored part of the eye) and works just like the lens of a camera. It focuses light images on the retina (acts like the film in a camera), which is a layer of tissue in the back of the eye that senses light and sends images to the brain.
Normal vs cloudy lens
Cataracts can develop from normal aging, from an eye injury, or if one has taken certain medications. Patients with cataracts usually describe a blurring or clouding of their vision and in later stages may describe it as seeing through a piece of wax paper. Some report poor night vision, double vision in one eye, or a sensation that one just cannot get enough bright light to read. Glare and difficulty with night driving are also commonly caused by cataracts. If the cataract changes vision so much that it interferes with daily life, the cataract may need to be removed. Cataracts are so common that everyone will eventually develop a cataract if they live long enough. Vision loss from cataracts is gradual, which is why many patients have difficulty noticing the early symptoms. The length of time for a cataract to develop can vary from a few months to several years.
Once they form, there is only one way to achieve clear vision again, and that is to surgically remove the cloudy, natural lens of the eye (using ultrasound and a no-stitch incision). The ophthalmologist (eye surgeon) removes the cataract and inserts a new artificial lens called an intraocular lens or IOL. The procedure takes about 15 minutes per eye, and after surgery, the patient can expect to heal within about a week or two. Cataract surgery will not correct other causes of decreased vision, such as glaucoma, diabetes or age-related macular degeneration. The cataract surgery is performed in a sterilized surgical facility. Surgery is performed on one eye at a time, but if both eyes need the surgery, the timing between each procedure can be as little as a week apart.
All patients who have cataract surgery have to have an implant (IOL). There are many types of permanent lens implants: some that requires new glasses after surgery and others that provide patients with a full range of vision without the use of glasses! Click here to read more.
» Learn more about surgery options
» Selecting a cataract surgeon
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