A cataract is a clouding of the lens in the eye which leads to a decrease in vision. Cataracts usually develop slowly and can affect one or both eyes. Symptoms may include faded colors, blurry vision, halos around light, trouble with bright lights, and trouble seeing at night. This can cause problems with driving, reading, and other activities of daily living. A cataract can be treated with surgery to remove the cloudy lens and replace it with an artificial intraocular lens.
Cataracts are very common, especially among older adults. By age 80, more than half of Americans either have a cataract or have had cataract surgery. Although serious visual impairment from cataracts is relatively rare in developed countries like the United States, cataracts are a leading cause of blindness worldwide.
Cataracts typically form gradually as a result of aging or long-term exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. With time, some protein may clump together and start to cloud a small area of the lens. At first you may not notice any change in your vision. But as it grows larger, it will begin to interfere with your sight.
Most people don’t experience symptoms in the early stages of cataract formation. When symptoms do occur they may include:
•Blurry vision
•Colors that seem faded
•Glare — particularly when driving at night
•Poor night vision
•Double vision in one eye
•Halos around lights
If left untreated, cataracts will eventually lead to complete loss of vision . Surgery is currently the only effective treatment for cataracts . During surgery , your cloudy natural lens is removed and replaced by an intraocular lens (IOL). IOLs are available in different materials , including plastic , silicone , acrylic and foldable types . The type of IOL best suited for you will be determined based on several factors such as refractive error , pupil size , degree of presbyopia (age – related farsightedness ) and lifestyle . In most cases , you’ll be able to choose from standard monofocal lenses that correct distance vision or multifocal lenses that also correct nearsightedness or farsightedness . Multifocal lenses require less dependence on glasses or contact lenses after surgery than monofocal lenses but they’re more expensive . You’ll need to discuss all your options with your ophthalmologist prior to having surgery so that you can make an informed decision about which type of IOL is right for you . It’s also important to know that even if you have multifocal lenses implanted , you still may need glasses or contact lenses for some tasks such as reading fine print up close . Most people who undergo modern day cataract surgery achieve excellent results without complications . However , as with any type of surgical procedure there are certain risks involved such as infection , bleeding and retinal detachment . These risks will be discussed with you prior to surgery so that you can make an informed decision about whether or not this procedure is right for you given your individual health situation