Cataract Surgery

What is a cataract?

Understanding about cataracts requires a basic knowledge of eye anatomy.  When we are born, we typically have a clear lens that serves to focus incoming light onto the retina (the light-sensitive layer of tissue at the back of the inner eye that acts like the film of a camera).  As we age, the natural clear lens begins to lose its clarity often turning brownish in color and developing opacities.

 

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A natural lens that is no longer clear is called a cataract.  One hundred percent of people will develop a cataract if they live long enough.  Factors such as age, diabetes, trauma, smoking, and sun exposure can influence at what age a person presents with a cataract.

 

How do you know if you have a cataract?

Symptoms such as blurred vision, halos around lights at night, and loss of contrast sensitivity are often experienced by people with cataracts.  Cataracts typically develop over many years leading to slow incremental decreases in vision. Frequently, patients do not realize how poor the quality of their vision had become due to their cataract until the cataract has been removed and replaced with a clear lens.  An examination by an ophthalmologist can evaluate your lens and determine if it is the proper time to remove your cataract.

 

What does cataract surgery entail?

Cataract surgery is one of the most frequently and successfully performed outpatient surgeries in the United States.  This surgical procedure usually takes only 30 minutes.  Your natural lens, which has become brown or cloudy, will be removed and replaced with a crystal clear artificial lens.

At Harbor Ophthalmology, we offer a variety of  standard and premium artificial lenses for surgical replacement.  A standard lens will typically correct far distance or near vision.  Some premium lenses can potentially correct astigmatism while others can possibly decrease dependence on glasses allowing a patient to see both distance and near clearly without glasses.

 

Come in to Harbor Ophthalmology and ask about cataract surgery today!