Cataracts
A cataract is a clouding of the eye’s natural lens, which lies behind the iris and the pupil.
What are Cataracts?
The lens works much like a camera lens, focusing light onto the retina at the back of the eye. The lens also adjusts the eye’s focus, letting us see things clearly both up close and far away. The lens is mostly made of water and protein. The protein is arranged in a precise way that keeps the lens clear and lets light pass through it. But as we age, some of the protein may clump together and start to cloud the lens. This is a cataract, and over time, it may grow larger and cloud more of the lens, making it harder to see.
The majority of cataracts are classified as one of three types or a combination:
• A posterior subcapsular cataract begins at the back of the lens. People with diabetes, high nearsightedness or retinitis pigmentosa, or those taking high doses of steroids, may develop a subcapsular cataract.
• A nuclear cataract is the most common type. This cataract forms in the nucleus, the center of the lens, and is due to natural aging changes.
• A cortical cataract, which forms in the lens cortex, gradually extends its spokes from the outside of the lens to the center. Many diabetics develop cortical cataracts.
Symptoms and Signs to Watch For:
A cataract starts out small and at first has little effect on your vision. You may notice that your vision is blurred a little. A cataract may make light from the sun or a lamp seem too bright. Or you may notice when you drive at night that the oncoming headlights cause more glare than before. Colors may not appear as bright as they once did. As the cataract grows, you may notice you can’t see street signs as well as you used to, even with your glasses, fine print is more difficult to read and captions and scores on TV are not clear anymore.
The type of cataract you have will affect exactly which symptoms you experience and how soon they will occur. When a nuclear cataract first develops, it can bring about a temporary improvement in your near vision, called “second sight”. Unfortunately, the improved vision is short-lived and will disappear as the cataract worsens. On the other hand, a subcapsular cataract may not produce any symptoms until it’s well-developed.
Cataract Surgery
Surgery
The good news about cataracts is that when they do become visually significant, surgery can help restore your vision-in many cases better than ever. Standard intraocular lenses can help focus the images at a distance for many people and are covered by major medical insurance. For those with corneal astigmatism, an astigmatism reducing [toric] lens can help sharpen the distance vision and reduce the need for distance glasses. Over the counter reading glasses are generally worn for up close work such as reading. For those who wish to be less dependent on glasses overall, there are intraocular lenses that correct for near, distance and intermediate ranges. However, not everyone is not a candidate for these multifocal or extended depth of focus lenses. It is important to keep in the mind that even if the goal is to remove the cataract to improve vision and minimize the need for glasses overall, most people still need glasses (whether that is prescription or over the counter glasses) for some ranges/circumstances. At Clarity Eye Care and Surgery, and after a careful examination, we will discuss your cataract surgery at length as well which intraocular lens options would work best for you and your lifestyle.
Clarity Eye Care & Surgery
Call us today at (520) 392-7600 to schedule a visit.