What Do You Know About Cataracts?

At the Longwood Eye & LASIK Center, we specialize in treating cataracts.
Read on to learn more about cataracts and their treatment.

• At birth, the lens is clear but as we get older, it hardens and turns yellow.
• The lens is the clear part of the eye that focuses light and images on the retina – the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. Normally, light passes through the lens to the retina where it is changed into nerve signals that are sent to the brain. The lens must be clear for the retina to receive a sharp image.
• When a cataract forms, usually in people over 60, the lens becomes cloudy and vision becomes compromised. Light is prohibited from passing through easily, causing the retina to receive distorted or blurred images.
• Most cataracts are age-related but you don’t necessarily need to be “of a certain age” to get a cataract. People in their 40’s and 50’s can get cataracts – but these are generally small and don’t affect their vision. It is after the age of 60 when cataracts steal vision.
• By the age of 80, more than half of all Americans either have a cataract or have had cataract surgery.
• A cataract can occur in one or both eyes but it cannot spread from one eye to the other.

Most cataracts are related to aging, but there are other types of cataract:
A Secondary Cataract may form after surgery for other eye problems, such as glaucoma. Cataracts also can develop in people who have other health problems, such as diabetes.
A Traumatic Cataract can develop after an eye injury.
A Congenital Cataract may be present in some babies at birth or they develop them in childhood, often in both eyes.
A Radiation Cataract may develop after exposure to some types of radiation.

Cataract surgery at the Longwood Eye & LASIK Center is a virtually painless outpatient procedure that replaces the cloudy lens with a permanent, clear, lens implant. It is performed using gentle, high-energy ultrasound waves, with simple eye drop anesthesia. This allows for the fastest possible recovery. Many of our patients have dramatically improved vision within a few hours of their procedure.

To learn more about the benefits, risks and expected results of cataract surgery, call for a consultation appointment: (888) 299-8861.