A cataract is a hazing or cloudiness of the lens which is normally transparent that lays inside your eye. Typically cataracts are part of the aging process. They gradually form and may not become a problem until you are in the 60’s or 70’s. Almost 100% of patients will develop cataracts if they live long enough. It is now thought that prolonged exposure to ultra violet light can accelerate the formation of cataracts. Cataracts, sometimes seen at birth, may be related to medical diseases and certain medications such as steroids.

The symptoms of a cataract are typically blurry vision or glare around lights. This is gradual in nature in most cases. Early on the symptoms may be most noticeable in dim light or when you face bright lights such as driving at night.

Most patients who have early cataracts have only minimal symptoms and do not require surgical treatment. For some patients a change in glasses will restore vision to useful range. Sometimes a cataract can become quite dense in one eye and you may not be aware of it until you cover the good eye. Although cataracts are slow in progression no one can predict for sure how fast they will develop. Some cataracts can progress very quickly in sometimes less than six months. Currently the only effective treatment is surgical removal. In no stitch cataract surgery using phacoemulcification the cataract is removed by making a small incision into the front of the eye. The incision is tunnel like and self seals when the surgery is completed reducing recovery time. A small probe using ultrasound energy is inserted in through that opening and it breaks up the lens in to tiny fragments that are then vacuumed out through a port at the tip of the instrument.

After the cataract is removed a lens implant made out of a plastic material is then inserted into the eye. This restores some of the function of the normal lens in the eye. The incision is self sealing. The patients go home shortly after the operation.

The success of cataract surgery in restoring sight is about 95% or more. It is one of the most effective and safest operations performed today. The high success rate is due to advances in microscope technique, high tech instruments and the use of intraocular lenses.