Cataract Surgery Details You Should Know
- Posted on: Nov 30 2020
According to statistics, approximately half of adults aged 75 to 85 have cataracts. This common eye condition can have a severe impact on visual clarity but, fortunately, can be treated with a relatively simple procedure. Here, we discuss what cataracts are and what to expect if both eyes develop cloudy vision.
What are Cataracts?
Cataracts are essentially clumps of protein that accumulate on the lens of the eye. As additional protein particles stick to the larger accumulation, vision becomes increasingly more clouded. Cataracts are not contagious. Having cataracts in one eye does not mean that the condition will spread to the other eye. In many cases, we treat cataracts in one eye by replacing the natural lens with an artificial structure. When a patient has cataracts in both eyes, separate procedures are performed a few weeks apart. After this initial procedure, it is not uncommon for vision imbalance to occur.
Vision Imbalance after Cataract Surgery
Vision is formed by the light that enters each eye and gets passed through the lens to the cornea. The cornea bends rays of light so they hit the retina at the back of the eye. The retina transfers light to the brain via the optic nerve. Instantaneously, the brain processes signals of light to form vision. When one eye has clear vision restored, the balance that had been created, even with cataracts, is disrupted. The imbalance is only temporary. Within a few days, we expect patients to begin acclimating to clearer eyesight. Once the second eye is treated and cataracts are eliminated completely, balance can continue to improve over a few weeks’ time.
Patients who are considering an eye procedure like cataract surgery often want to know what to expect. Vision imbalance is a common, temporary side effect of vision correction simply because the eyes work together to transform rays of light into visual objects.
Cataracts affect millions of people in our country. To learn more about your risks for cataracts and general information about your eye health, schedule a visit to a Roholt Vision Center near you. We proudly serve patients in North Canton, Alliance, and Canfield.
Posted in: Cataract