How do you know when it’s time for cataract surgery?
Cataract surgeon Carlsbad CA
A cataract is a clouding in the eye’s natural lens. This is a clear structure located just behind the pupil. It can change shape to focus light. When the proteins in the lens break down, it goes from being transparent to being cloudy, which blocks light from entering the eye.
Worldwide, cataracts are the leading cause of blindness. However, there is a highly effective procedure that can be used to treat cataracts and restore vision. This involves removing the damaged natural lens and replacing it with an artificial one.
Cataracts – and the vision loss that accompanies them – develop slowly over time, as the proteins that make up the lens gradually degrade. Because of this, it can be difficult for people to decide when it’s time to consider cataract surgery.
Consider cataract surgery when your daily life is impacted
In the past, patients were sometimes told to wait until their cataracts were “ripe” before considering removal. You may have talked to an older relative or friend who was given this advice. However, with modern advances in technology and surgical technique, it’s no longer considered necessary to wait until your vision loss is severe before you consider addressing your cataracts.
The time to consider cataract surgery is when your cataracts are interfering with your daily life, such as your ability to work, enjoy your hobbies, or drive. Because cataracts tend to stop people from engaging in brain-stimulating activities, they can even increase the risk of dementia. It’s important to address factors like cataracts that are preventing you from leading a vibrant life.
What types of symptoms can cataracts cause?
As cataracts develop, you may notice symptoms like:
- Trouble seeing in low light. Cataracts partially block the light that’s coming into your eyes. When there’s less ambient light in the environment, you may notice that you can’t see as well as you used to. For example, many people find that they have trouble seeing well enough to drive safely when it’s dark, or to walk to the bathroom during the night.
- Blurred vision. Cataracts alter the way that light bends as it passes through your eye’s lens. This can cause your vision to become blurry or hazy. It may be more difficult to do fine tasks, such as reading.
- Double vision. The changes in how light moves through your eye can make it difficult for light to be focused properly on the retina. This can lead to double vision, where you see two images instead of one. Double vision can make it challenging to do everyday activities, like walking down stairs.
- Halos around lights. Because the cataract can change the way that light moves as it passes through your eye’s lens, which may make circles appear around lights. This is often especially obvious at night, which can make night driving even more challenging. It can also make using a device with a screen more difficult.
- Changes in colors. The clouding of the lens can make colors look duller or dimmer. It sometimes causes a yellow or brown cast over everything, as though you’re looking through a dirty window.
- Sensitivity to light. Even though cataracts partially block light from entering your eyes, the changes in how light is focused can also lead to issues like glare. They can also increase the scattering of light by your lenses, causing bright lights to appear uncomfortably or even painfully bright.
Cataract surgeon Carlsbad CA
If you’re experiencing symptoms like the ones listed above, then you might be experiencing cataracts. If these symptoms are interfering with your quality of life, then it’s probably time to consider cataract surgery. This surgery quickly and permanently gets rid of the cataract and restores clear vision. For example, if you can no longer enjoy your hobbies because you can’t see details well, cataract surgery may help to address the problem and get you back to doing the activities you love.
Our highly-experienced eye surgeons have helped thousands of people get their vision back through cataract surgery. If you’d like to schedule a consultation for personalized advice on whether it might be time for you to consider this procedure, please contact our friendly front desk staff.
