We’ve all seen cataracts before; a milky haze that seems to cover the lense of the eye. More than 2.5 million Canadians live with cataracts. In fact, most of us will develop cataracts as we age. Bleak as this may sound, it’s no reason to panic. Thanks to modern surgical options, cataracts are relatively simple to fix.
Cataracts develop when protein in the lens of the eye starts to clump together, creating cloudy vision. Cataracts are not painful, but they are very disruptive to the patient, making it difficult to see in sunlight, drive, or notice any detail.
What is a Cataract?
Cataracts in Children
Though cataracts usually develop with age, occasionally babies are born with cataracts, called congenital cataracts. It can be difficult to tell when children (particularly young children) are struggling with their vision as they don’t have the language necessary to communicate what they’re experiencing.
If you suspect your child has cataracts, do not wait; bring them in as soon as possible.
Risk Factors
Aside from advancing age, some factors which increase the risk of cataracts include:
- Family history
- Obesity
- Smoking
- Hormone replacement therapy
- Heavy drinking
- Hypertension
- Diabetes
Restoring Your Vision Through Treatment
The best way to treat cataracts is through a relatively simple procedure. This outpatient surgery replaces your cloudy lens with a new one, restoring most, if not all, of the vividness and clarity to your vision. Surgery is typically only performed when the cataracts are severe enough to affect the sufferer’s quality of life.
If you wish to delay surgery, you can make life a little bit easier with cataracts by making sure your home is well lit and keeping your eyeglass or contact prescription up to date.
How Cataract Surgery Works
After going through your diagnosis and treatment options with you, we’ll refer you to a trustworthy ophthalmologist to perform the surgery. Your doctor will remove the old, cloudy lense, and implant a new one into your eye. This procedure is remarkably safe, and done with staggering accuracy. However, there are some risks and limitations which we will discuss with you before referring you for surgery.
After the Procedure
Usually patients report having clear vision a few hours after the operation. But it’s important to remember that everyone is different; your eyes may need up to a couple weeks to adjust to the new lens. We’ll follow up with you shortly after your surgery to make sure everything went well and answer any questions you may have about recovery.
Let Us Guide You Through the Cataract Removal Process
If you’re interested in getting rid of your cataracts, book an appointment with us. We’ll go over all your options with you and answer all of your questions before you make your decision.