Cataracts

A cataract is a result of normal aging.  Even though cataracts are the leading cause of vision loss, their exact cause is still unknown.  Studies show that about 50% of all people will have some cataract formation before age 60 and almost 100% will develop them after age 70.  With treatment, there is greater than a 95% chance that vision will be restored.

The human eye functions much like a camera.  Light passes through the lens of the camera and is focused on the film.  Like a camera, the eye also has a lens.  Normally this is a clear, transparent structure through which light can freely pass and focus on the retina.  A cataract is a clouding of this lens.  As the cataract develops, the clouded lens reduces the amount of light that can enter the eye, resulting in blurred or foggy vision.

Some signs of cataracts are increasing glare from bright lights, sunlight  faded and washed out (especially blues and greens) and vision that becomes indistinct and hazy, making it difficult to read or perform simple tasks.  Cataracts may affect both eyes at a different rate, or they may affect only one eye.  The photos below show the difference between normal vision, and how vision may look when developing cataracts:

The treatment used to remove cataracts is called phacoemulsification.  During this outpatient procedure, our doctors typically use topical anesthetic drops to numb the eye.  Then, a very small incision is made in the clear cornea.  Using a tiny, ultrasonic probe, the cataract is gently broken apart and removed.  Once the cloudy cataract lens is removed, a customized, clear intraocular lens, either a multi- or monofocal, is permanently implanted into the eye.  Since the incision is small, sutures usually are not necessary.

In eyes that have previously had cataract surgery without the benefits of intraocular lens implants, there may be a surgical option for secondary lens implants to reduce dependency on aphakic glasses or contact lenses.

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