Cataracts are a very common condition kamal, particularly among older adults. However, treatment options for cataracts can be very different depending on an individual’s situation. While mild cataracts might require no more than a new eyeglasses prescription, advanced cataracts often require surgery.
Our ability to see is one of life’s most precious gifts. Imagine what it would be like if we had to live in total darkness. Many of us are blessed with good vision. As we age, a number of us begin to develop problems with our eyes. This is especially true of the elderly. In many cases, the cause of the poor vision is a cataract. However, with today’s technology, a cataract is easily treated with over 98% success rate.
What is a cataract?
When the lens on your eye becomes cloudy, this is known as a cataract. Like a camera, our eye uses film to take a picture and a lens to focus the picture. The film is actually the nerve of your eye, the lens just like that of a camera.
What are the symptoms of cataract?
- Decreased vision without pain.
- Increased glare in sunlight or at night.
- A sensation of having a film over the eyes.
Are you at risk of developing cataracts?
Everyone develops cataracts. Cataracts are most predominant among people over the age of 50. People who are diabetic or have taken steroid medicines are prone to cataracts. Healthy people under 50 can also develop cataracts. Previous trauma or surgery to the eye can cause cataracts to mature sooner.
Cataract Surgery
How are cataracts treated?
There are no eye drops or medications to treat cataracts. Because of a lack of medical care, China and parts of Asia customarily use eye drops and medications, although they are not effective. Eyeglasses may be helpful in the early stages of cataracts.
The only effective treatment is a painless 5-10 minute surgical procedure. Normally, an artificial lens is implanted in the eye during the outpatient surgery. Permanently replacing the cataracts, the lens causes no irritation and never has to be taken out.
What method does Dr. Shepps use?
Dr. Shepps has performed over 20,000 successful cataract operations. He uses the advanced, widely popular Phacoemulsification no-stitches technique. Under local anesthesia, a small incision is made into the eye. An artificial lens implant is then inserted.
With Dr. Shepps’s experienced surgeon’s hands, the entire procedure can take only 5-10 minutes.
Who needs surgery?
If your vision is impaired to the extent you no longer see normally, and when you cannot see well doing things such as driving, reading, watching movies, consider surgery. It may be dangerous if you wait until your vision is completely blurred. Delaying further complicates the surgery.
What are after effects of the cataract surgery?
Once a cataract is removed, it never grows back. As soon as the eye has healed, some patients may need reading glasses, others a thin pair of distance glasses. Some patients can see very clearly a day to a week after surgery. Others take several weeks. Patients can begin seeing with the operated eye the day after the surgery. There are minimal restrictions on activity after the surgery. No special diet is required.
Lens Implant Choices
- Standard Monofocal Lenses
- Tecnis® IOL (Nontinted)
- AcrySof® IQ IOL (Yellow-tinted)
- Multifocal Lenses
- Tecnis® Multifocal IOL
- Tecnis® Symfony IOL
- Astigmatism-correction Lens (Toric® IOL)
- Monofocal Toric IOL
- Multifocal Toric IOL
- Monovision