About Cataracts and Cataract Surgery

A cataract occurs when a part of your eye becomes clouded, affecting your vision. It works like frosted glass, blurring your vision and making it impossible to see correctly. A diagnosis of cataracts may make some people panic, but it is nothing to be alarmed about. Cataracts are common for people over the age of 60, and most cases can be successfully treated with a cataract surgery by an optometrist or eye surgeon.

There are a few things that can cause cataracts, but one of the most common is age. There are, however, people who have cataracts when they are born, which is called congenital cataracts. While no one knows for sure what causes cataracts, there have been some studies that have linked their appearance to smoking and poor diet. They can also occur in people who struggle with health problems like diabetes.

A cataract surgery is what is done in order to remove the cataract. This eye surgery can only be performed once the cataract is considered to be ripe, which is something only an eye surgeon will know. Once you are ready for surgery, which is when the eyesight generally starts to interfere with your daily life, you will be brought in for the procedure. A local anesthetic will be given which leaves you awake but unable to feel your eye. The eye doctor will then use a microscope in order to cut a small opening in the eye. They will then remove the lens that is clouded and will actually replace it with a clear plastic lens, allowing the eye to be able to see clearly once again. A shield, or a pad, will be placed over the eye to protect it for a few days, allowing the eye to heal for awhile and make it more difficult for the patient to bump or rub it.

Cataract surgery is one of the most common types of eye surgery performed, and it is extremely successful. Less than two percent of patients have serious complications from it. If your vision is getting cloudy, you may have cataracts, which can easily be cured by an eye surgeon. Talk to an eye doctor to find out more about this eye surgery.

For more information on cataract surgery as well as laser eye surgery options (custom LASIK and PRK) and other treatments we offer (BOTOX® injections and laser hair removal), it is important to contact our laser vision correction center in Toronto, Ontario.