What is a cataract?
Cataract occurs when the natural lens inside the eye becomes cloudy so that light is scattered or blocked. This affects vision, and can feel like looking through frosted glass, or there may be glare in bright lights or with night driving.
What testing might be done?
Your initial consultation involves a detailed sight test, biometry measurements, and eye pressure checks. Dilating drops will be used, which may blur your vision for a few hours.
How is a cataract treated?
When the symptoms become significant, the cataract is surgically extracted from within its capsule, and a plastic intraocular lens (IOL) is implanted in its place.
What can I expect for my vision after cataract surgery?
For most people, cataract surgery is an opportunity to correct or reduce pre-existing short-sightedness, long-sightedness and/or astigmatism. In these cases, cataract treatment has the potential to provide better vision than was previously experienced (without glasses) before cataract developed.
Vision after cataract surgery is dependent on:
- The accuracy of measurements and calculations for the lens implant power (biometry)
- The type of lens implant used
- The skill and experience of the surgeon
- The co-operation of the patient during the procedure
- The natural healing process of the eye itself
- The presence of other eye conditions affecting the prognosis