Cataract Care
Cataracts are when the normally clear lens in our eye becomes cloudy causing a blur or haziness to one's vision. The lens sits directly behind the iris of the eye and is held in place by small ligaments called zonules. The cloudiness of the lens usually happens very gradually and slowly over many years slowly degrading the person's vision. Cataracts can form at anytime, but are more common in the elderly.
Symptoms of Cataracts
- Slow decrease in visual acuity
- Decrease in night vision
- See halos around headlights at night
- Double vision in one eye
- Muting of color vision
- Increase in glare and light sensitivity
- Frequent prescription changes in eyeglasses or contact lenses
Risk Factors for Cataracts
There are many risk factors for developing cataracts. Increasing age is the most common reason cataracts develop. Other risk factors include diabetes, other systemic diseases, radiation treatments, certain medications one may be or have taken in the past, a history of other eye diseases, ocular injuries or other eye surgueries may also increase the risk of developing cataracts. Those who have taken corticosteroids for prolonged periods of time are also at risk. Environmental factors like smoking, excessive sunlight exposure, and excessive alcohol consumption can also cause cataracts.
Diagnosing Cataracts
Our doctors are skilled at diagnosing and monitoring cataracts in their patients. In order to diagnose cataracts, a dilated eye examination is performed. The dilation allows the doctor to see the entire lens and evaluate it for any changes in clarity and color associated with cataracts. Also they will evaluate your eyeglass prescription to make sure that you have the best possible prescription, Many times cataracts will cause frequent changes in your eyeglass prescription.
Treatment for Cataracts
Monitoring the cataracts is the first step for progression and visual acuity changes. Once the cataracts have significantly decreased your vision, our doctors will refer you to a local cataract surgeon for the cataracts to be removed. Cataract surgery is the only way to remove the cataract. Surgery is usually performed on the worst eye first followed by the seocnd eye, if needed, one to two weeks later.
Cataract surgery takes about 5-10 minutes per eye to perform by the surgeon. They make a small incision in the cornea, the clear area on the front of the front of the eye. They then break up the cataract into small pieces and remove them from the eye. They then insert a new lens into the space where the old lens resided previously. Recovery from surgery is often very quick, but requires the use of several eye medications after surgery to decrease inflammation and prevent infection.
After Surgery
Our doctors work closely with your surgeon to provide you the best post-op care. You will have several post-op visits to ensure that your eyes are healing properly and that the medication is working. After healing from the surgery which is usually 4-6 weeks, patients often require new eyewear to see properly at a distance and for reading. Our doctors will test you eyes for new eyewear and also dilate your eyes to make sure that you have completely healed from the surgery.
If you are experiencing any of the symptoms above, contact our office at 765-348-2020 to schedule an examination to evaluate your eyes for cataracts and other eye conditions.