When Is It Necessary to Get Cataract Surgery?

Age takes a toll on every part of the body, slows down many processes, and impacts the effectiveness of specific body parts. These changes can affect the eyes, specifically the eye's natural lens.

When the eye's lens becomes cloudy and hinders vision, it is called a cataract, a common condition. It is the leading cause of temporary blindness and impacts millions of people over 40 worldwide.

What Causes Cataracts?

The leading causes of cataracts are aging and injury that cause changes in the structure of the tissue in the eye’s lens. The eye’s lens naturally contains fibers and proteins that can break down in the event of an injury or as you age. Some generic orders may lead to the breakdown of these fibers and proteins. When they do, they fill the fluid in the eye's lens, making it cloudy.

Cataracts can also develop due to particular circumstances, like side effects of medications like steroids. Additionally, diseases like diabetes or postsurgical outcomes may cause cataracts to develop.

When Is Surgery Necessary?

Possible Vision Loss

The eye doctor may remove your affected lenses even when cataracts have not caused complete blindness. In situations where cataracts impact your driving, reading, or other critical activities you need to do to be productive, they may recommend surgery.

The only treatment for cataracts is surgery, as eye drops or less invasive medications do not exist. You can take steps to enhance your vision by using brighter lights, magnifying glasses, and eyeglasses. However, these options are limited in their impact and do not work when the cataracts are significantly developed.

Quality of Life

Your capability to engage in activities you enjoy could become significantly limited when you develop cataracts. You may be an avid athlete or like to write or draw, and your cataracts can make this much more difficult. Moving around on your own could become challenging; it could also mean that you will require assistance. These changes indicate that you need surgery to improve your vision.

How Safe Are You?

Cataracts can significantly reduce your vision to the point where you are not safe moving around or doing some things. For instance, if you are late and have to drive at night, you will have to deal with excessive glare that may cause you to crash. Cataracts can cause glare and halos to form around streetlights and other bright lights, making navigation a problem.

Affect Ocular Health

Cataracts are not harmless when left untreated, and they can cause other health problems. They can increase internal eye pressure, leading to glaucoma or eye inflammation. Moreover, they prevent the eye doctor from examining your internal eye structures' health, which could expose you to other conditions.

Cataract Surgery

The surgery to replace the eye's lens with an IOL, intraocular lens, is short and painless, with results that will last you years. The new lens can correct distance issues and give you better vision.

For more information on when to get cataract surgery, visit Maple Eye and Laser Center at our office in White Plains or Manhattan, New York. Call (914) 948-5157​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ to book an appointment today.