Thanks to advances in technology and comprehensive research, cataracts can now be easily and safely removed from the vast majority of eyes. In fact, it is credited as being one of the most reliable surgical procedures in the world.
Cataracts can form very slowly. If yours is only very mildly bothersome, it may not be worth removing quite yet.
If the growth covers a large area on the eye, if both eyes are affected or it is compromising your ability to do your job, then give us a call and we’ll perform our eye exam and discuss your options.
Your doctor will dilate your eyes using special eye drops – these are painless, and will allow higher-quality imaging of the inner eye.
We will discuss any ocular problems affecting relatives, as well as an overview of your personal health over the years, in particular to identify high risk factors like smoking.
If a cataract covers a large portion of your eye but is highly transparent and causes little obstruction of vision, it may not require surgical removal. A visual acuity test measures how well you can see with both your peripheral and central vision, across all distances.
Using a slit-lamp experiment, the cornea will be fully illuminated and examined under magnification. Any abnormalities on the surface of the eye and around the cataract will be assessed.
Particularly minor cataracts will not require any real lifestyle adjustment. However, you should be careful to arrange an annual eye exam (as recommended by the American Optometric Association) so that we can track its progress over time.
If a cataract begins to affect your day-to-day life, then you should come see us. There are no real treatments for cataracts other than removal surgery – if you are a valid candidate for the ultrasound-based, non-invasive procedure, then there’s no sense waiting around for years!
Cataracts can change your prescription needs. If your prescription has changed, we can help; our on-site optical lab can produce your lenses in as little as one hour.