Do you suffer from cataracts? They are a common eye condition in many patients.
They tend to come on gradually as a result of aging. You may hardly notice them at first, but eventually, they will impair your vision.
You will need to undergo cataract surgery when your vision limits your quality of life. For some patients, this comes when they are no longer able to complete their daily routine.
For others, it’s when they can no longer safely drive at night. There are many reasons you may need cataract surgery.
All of them stem from your vision being impaired from your cataracts. Keep reading for a few of the biggest reasons you may need cataract surgery, as well as what to expect from the procedure!
1. Unable to Complete Your Daily Routine
Your daily routine is unique to you, but it requires clear vision. Whether you’re commuting to work, running errands at the grocery store, or exercising, you need clear vision to complete them.
Cataracts can impair your vision so that you can no longer complete your daily routine. When you reach this point, you will need to start considering cataract surgery.
2. Unable to See at Night
Seeing halos around lights at night is a common symptom of cataracts. Halos can form around walkway lights, porch lights, street lights, and especially headlights from any oncoming traffic.
These halos can be blinding, making it difficult to get around at night. It is important that you do not try to drive at night if you are experiencing any halos around lights.
You will need cataract surgery before it is safe for you to get around at night. Until this happens, find a friend or family member that can drive you to get to the places you need to go.
3. Can No Longer Distinguish Faces
As cataracts grow and develop, it is difficult to distinguish the faces of people you are most familiar with. At first, this can happen when they are across the room.
That distance continues to shorten as your cataracts grow. Eventually, you will be unable to distinguish faces at a close distance. You will need to undergo cataract surgery to correct this vision problem.
Cataract Surgery
Cataract surgery is quick and painless. It is the only way to treat cataracts. It is not painful thanks to numbing eye drops you’ll receive before the procedure even begins.
During the procedure, your cataract surgeon will remove the natural lens of your eye. This is the part of your eye where your cataract has grown and affected your vision.
Your surgeon will create a small incision and then they will gently break apart the lens and cataract. This is a process called phacoemulsification.
Your natural lens will then be replaced with an artificial lens called an intraocular lens (IOL). There are many kinds of IOLs available but two of the most common are standard monofocal IOLs and premium IOLs.
Standard Monofocal IOL
A standard monofocal IOL will replace your natural lens and restore the vision that you lost due to your cataracts. You will still need prescription glasses or contact lenses to see clearly, since it only corrects your vision at one vision zone.
Premium IOLs
There are several types of premium IOLs. They will replace your natural lens, as well as correct pre-existing vision problems. This includes farsightedness, nearsightedness, and astigmatism.
For most patients, this means that after cataract surgery, they no longer need glasses or contacts, or they may rely on them less.
Ready to live life without cataracts? The first step is a cataract surgery consultation.
Schedule yours today with Omaha Eye and Laser Institute in Omaha, Nebraska!
