Cataract Awareness Month Insights To Helping Your Vision

By Samuel F. Boles, MD

Did you know that almost half of adults will develop cataracts by age 80 and that they are the leading cause of visual loss in adults 65 and older?Since August is Cataract Awareness Month, now is a good time to learn more about the symptoms of cataracts and how regular eye exams will help prevent or treat early signs of what happens to be one of the most curable causes of vision loss.

What Is A Cataract?

A cataract is clouding of the natural lens of the eye, usually caused by age. I like to compare it to the clear plastic window on a convertible car. After years of exposure to sun and weather, the plastic becomes yellow and cloudy. With surgery, we remove the old window (the lens) and replace it with a new, clear synthetic one.

What Are The Symptoms?

blurry sight, and occasionally, double vision

halos and glare the eyes become dazzled by bright light, making night driving difficult

colors may become faded

frequent changes in glasses prescriptions

Should You Consider Surgery?

The first thing I would ask, “is surgery absolutely necessary?” Usually, cataract surgery is elective. The patient can and should wait until symptoms are bothersome, because cataracts do not harm the overall health of the eye. The good news is that cataract surgery has the highest success rate of any surgery practiced today, with a less-than- 2% rate of post-op complications and very high rate of patient satisfaction.

How Long Does It Take?

The procedure itself takes about 10 minutes. This may vary with the surgeon. My patients are usually are at the surgical center for about 1 hours, including pre and post op preparations. It is to the patient's advantage to have the eye exposed for the shortest amount of time, with the surgeon making minimal small movements. Both precision and efficiency are required for best results and fastest healing.

How About Driving?

Most people will have the operation, go home on the same day, and resume normal activities almost immediately and most of my patients are back to driving in a just a few days.

Some Final Thoughts

Something that may seem obvious, but that many people forget prevention is so important. Have your eyes checked regularly. A simple eye exam does not commit you to having surgery if cataracts are diagnosed. Many eye conditions that can become problematic are easily diagnosable and treatable with regular eye exams.