Why Cataract Surgery Changes Your Life for the Better
March 27, 2024
Have you struggled with vision issues because of cataracts? If you have cataracts, you know how challenging it can be to perform everyday tasks like driving, reading, or cooking. Cataracts can also make it challenging to enjoy hobbies or watch television.
While cataracts may cause adverse side effects, you don't have to live with these downsides forever. Cataract surgery is an effective treatment option that can restore your vision and improve your life. Keep reading to find out why cataract surgery changes your life for the better!
What are Cataracts and How Do They Develop?
Cataracts form on the natural lens of the eye. The natural lens is a flexible, clear component made of proteins.
As people age, these proteins break down, creating cloudy patches on the lens. Cataracts happen naturally due to aging. They are most common in people over 40.
These patches are known as cataracts. As cataracts develop, they can negatively impact your vision and ability to see clearly.
Many people with cataracts feel like they're seeing everything through a foggy or dirty window. Many patients with cataracts may not realize they have them initially.
However, the eye condition usually worsens over time, causing your vision to become more impaired. As they continue developing, you'll likely start to notice it becomes more challenging to see clearly.
Eventually, cataract surgery is usually necessary, as cataracts will impact your quality of life. Do you struggle to do everyday tasks like making yourself dinner?
Is it suddenly more challenging to do the things you love because of blurry vision? These are often signs it's time to consider cataract surgery.
Cataract surgery is the only way to treat cataracts and regain your ability to see clearly.
How Does Cataract Surgery Work?
While you can manage the symptoms of cataracts with glasses and contacts, the only way to treat cataracts is through cataract surgery. Visual aids like glasses and contact lenses will only temporarily manage the symptoms associated with cataracts and will likely no longer be an option if your cataracts become more advanced.
Cataract surgery removes your natural lens and breaks up the cataract formed there. The natural lens is then replaced with an artificial lens called an intraocular lens or IOL.
The IOL takes over the job that your once transparent natural lens could do and ensures you can see clearly after cataract surgery.
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Schedule a Cataract Evaluation
What to Expect During Cataract Surgery
You'll receive numbing eye drops before cataract surgery begins at Whitten Laser Eye. These drops ensure that you won't feel any pain during the procedure.
Next, your cataract surgeon will create a small incision before removing your natural lens and performing phacoemulsification. Phacoemulsification gently breaks up the pieces of the cataract and the natural lens before removing them with suction from your eye.
After completing phacoemulsification, your cataract surgeon will replace your natural lens with your chosen IOL, which will permanently remain in your eye.
Cataract surgery is an outpatient procedure that usually takes about an hour or less to complete, with a quick recovery. Once you've healed, you won't have to deal with blurry vision due to cataracts any longer.
5 Ways Cataract Surgery Improves Your Life
Because cataracts can be so detrimental, removing them has many benefits. Cataracts can cause blurry vision, poor night vision, sensitivity to light, and more bothersome symptoms.
Cataract surgery can improve your quality of life. Here are five ways this procedure positively impacts people with cataracts.
1. Excellent Results
Cataract surgery is one of the safest procedures, with a low risk of complications. Most cataract surgeries are very successful.
However, as it is a surgical procedure, there is always the risk of some risk factors. Certain medical conditions may increase your risk of these, complicating the healing process.
Your ophthalmologist will always discuss your medical history before suggesting the procedure.
2. Improved Day-to-Day Life
One of the best things about cataract surgery is that it makes daily life easier. As cataracts worsen, they can make it harder and harder to see.
With cataracts, whether you're reading, watching TV, or driving, you may notice that everything looks blurry or has a yellow cast. But after you have cataract surgery, you'll see clearly once again.
3. Better Eyesight
Cataract surgery improves vision, and this procedure has excellent results. Because it replaces your natural lens with an intraocular lens, you don't have to worry about developing cataracts again.
There are many IOLs available, and depending on which one you choose, you may achieve better vision than you had before developing cataracts.
4. More Safety
Going through life with blurry vision due to cataracts isn't safe. Not only can it make it harder to enjoy your life, but it can also make low-risk activities rather dangerous.
Poor vision can make driving, operating machinery, and lifting things unsafe. With cataract surgery, you'll have clear vision again, allowing you to perform all these tasks more safely. Cataract surgery also gives you and your loved ones peace of mind.
5. Increased Self-Confidence
As cataracts worsen, their effect on your vision may become more noticeable. Patients with cataracts may feel unsafe leaving their houses due to an increased risk of falling.
But once you have cataract surgery, you'll have clear vision. Regain your self-confidence and autonomy to do what you want when you want with the crisp, clear vision you couldn't have with cataracts.
Request a Cataract Evaluation Today!
Are you living with cataracts? While you may be used to depending on visual aids to get through your daily life, you deserve lasting improvements to your eyesight.
With cataract surgery, you'll have restored vision that allows you to do everything you want, need, and love to do, whether driving, reading, cooking, or hiking with your grandkids.
Cataracts are part of aging, so seeing your eye doctor regularly is crucial. These visits can detect cataracts as early as possible.
Do you think it could be time for cataract surgery? Find out more about this procedure by booking your cataract evaluation at Whitten Laser Eye in Charlotte Hall and Chevy Chase, MD, today!