What Do You Know About Treating Cataracts?
- Posted on: Oct 15 2017
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Cataracts are anything but unusual. It’s estimated that 20 million people over age 40 in the U.S. have cataracts. Want more? By the age of 80, over half of Americans either have a cataract or have already had surgery to correct one. At The Eye Clinic, we diagnose and perform surgery to correct cataracts. Our patients go from cloudy vision to a perfectly focused view of Mt. Hood or the beautiful Portland skyline every day.
The surgery can change a patient’s vision so dramatically, it’s incredible. Here is some information on cataracts, especially since they are such a common eye problem as we age.
What is the treatment for cataracts?
People think of “treating” cataracts, but there really isn’t any treatment. The only remedy is to have the clouded natural lens surgically removed and replaced with an intraocular artificial lens. The impact the cataract is having on your vision is usually the deciding factor. When everyday actions like driving at night and recognizing faces becomes difficult, it is time to opt for surgery with the team at The Eye Clinic P.C. If you have cataracts in both eyes, the surgery is performed separately for each eye, allowing the first eye to recover with its new lens before removing the second bad lens. The second surgery will usually follow two to four weeks after the first. While this sounds daunting, recovery is relatively easy.
Surgery and afterwards
Cataract surgery is typically an outpatient procedure performed under local anesthesia. The procedure often takes no longer than 10 minutes to perform. Then, you will recover for 30 minutes or so and be taken home (you can’t drive yourself) with a pair of dark sunglasses to protect your eye from bright light. At home you will wear a protective shield over your eye when you sleep.
Many patients report clear vision within several hours after cataract surgery, but everyone heals differently. It can take a week or two to really see things in the sharpest focus. Until then, there can be some blurry vision, as your eye adjusts to the removal of the cataract and the intraocular lens that replaced it. There is not usually any pain associated with recovery.
You’ll be amazed at the difference in your vision. The new intraocular lenses available at The Eye Clinic can now handle conditions such as astigmatism and can have multi-focal lengths.
When you’re ready to quit looking through that cloudy window, it’s time to call the team at The Eye Clinic P.C. 503-297-4718 in St. Vincent, 503-228-6681 in Portland.
Posted in: Cataracts
