Cataract Surgery in Louisville

A cataract is a clouding of the normally clear lens of the eye. Cataracts can develop in one or both eyes. They can be the result of aging, trauma or certain diseases. A cataract could be compared to a window that is frosted or yellowed. The lens which becomes cloudy is behind the iris and pupil, so it is not generally visible on the outside of the eye.

Causes can include medical problems such as diabetes, medications (especially steroids) or injury to the eye. The most common type of cataract is related to slow aging of the eye with gradual thickening and yellowing of the lens. These changes are, in many respects, normal over time, but when the quality of vision is compromised, we call this cataract. Sunlight, chronic illness, oxidation stress, metabolic diseases and genetic features may al play some role in development of cataracts.

Some common symptoms of cataracts include a blurring of vision, glare around stars and lights, double vision in one eye or poor night vision. You may need brighter light to read and notice colors becoming less vibrant, fading or yellowing. Early on, people notice more problems at night such as driving on rainy nights, halos and glare. Later, visual acuity becomes worse, with blurring of small print and distant objects such as road signs and TV print.

A thorough eye examination can detect the presence of a cataract. This examination can also detect any other conditions that may be causing you to have blurred vision or other eye problems.

Some patients may have problems with other parts of the eye, such as the retina, cornea, or optic nerve which can be responsible for vision loss. These problems could prevent improvement in vision after cataract surgery. Therefore, cataract removal may not be recommended if improvement in your vision is unlikely. Your doctor can tell you how much vision improvement is likely.

The rate of development can vary among individuals and may also be different between the two eyes. Most age-related cataracts can progress gradually over a period of years. It is not possible to predict exactly how fast cataracts will develop in any given person. Some cataracts, especially in younger people and people with diabetes, may progress rapidly over a short time.

A cataract can only be removed with surgery. The right time to remove the cataract depends on your daily visual needs. Surgery may not yet be needed in cases where the symptoms of the cataract are not causing discomfort or inconvenience. In some cases, a change in your eyeglass prescription may be helpful.

By using a small incision (2-3 millimeters), no-stitch ultrasonic technique of lens removal and intraocular lens implantation, clear vision can be efficiently restored. For those patients who develop “secondary” clouding of the lens months or years after cataract surgery, we have a laser in the office for convenient treatment of this condition

There are no medications, exercises or dietary supplements that have been proven to either cure or prevent cataracts.

Protection from excessive sunlight is recommended to help slow the progression of cataracts. Wearing sunglasses that screen out ultraviolet (UV) light rays or regular glasses with a clear, anti-UV coating can provide such protection.

It is time to consider surgery for cataracts when your visual impairment interferes with your job or daily life. It is not true that cataracts need to be “ripe” before they can be removed. Likewise, cataracts do not need to be removed just because they are present.

Cataract surgery should be performed when your daily visual needs require it. Your decision should be based on whether or not you can see to do your job, drive safely and engage in such activities as reading and watching TV in comfort. Can you see well enough to perform daily tasks such as cooking, shopping or taking medications without difficulty?

You and your doctor should decide together when surgery is appropriate based on your symptoms.

Cataract surgery is most often performed on an outpatient basis using local or topical anesthesia. During the procedure, the cloudy lens is removed from the eye. One method of cataract removal uses high frequency sound waves to gently break the cataract into tiny pieces. These pieces are then removed by delicate suction. Then the focusing power of the natural lens is restored by replacing it with a permanent intraocular lens implant.