In order for you to see, your eyes have to be able to take in and refract light in such a way to accurately capture an image of the world around you.
If the image isn’t clear, it makes seeing anything much harder, and cataracts can be the cause. Surgery is the most effective way to treat this sight-robbing condition.
If you live in the greater Frederick, Maryland, area and have cataracts, you can find help with our dedicated staff at Maryland Vision Center and our board-certified ophthalmologist and eye surgeon Dr. Sunil Thadani.
Let’s go over the process from start to finish so you know what to expect.
The lenses of your eyes are flexible and mainly made up of proteins called crystallins. When those start to break down, the lenses get cloudier over time, affecting how you see colors, sensitivity to light, and night vision. It also causes double vision, and creates a foggy, blurry film over everything you see.
The most common reason for cataracts is age-related issues, with variation depending on what part of the lens is affected (the nucleus, capsule, or the cortex). There are several types of cataracts that can affect people in many age groups, such as:
With age-related cataracts, the problem develops over time, so the effect on your vision may be minimal at first with only mild symptoms. When the visual impairment becomes bad enough that it affects your ability to perform everyday activities, or when it makes testing for other eye problems more difficult, we recommend surgery.
Surgery always sounds scary, but it’s a very common and safe procedure with a 98% success rate in the estimated 3 million Americans who have it done annually.
When you’re ready for the process to begin, here’s what happens:
About a week before surgery, we measure your eye’s shape and size. Special eye drops to prevent infection are an option prior to surgery if that’s a concern. We go over your medication regimen to be sure there are no drugs that can cause bleeding during surgery.
We apply eye drops or an injection to numb the eye to be treated, then use a special microscope to help with the incisions near the cornea’s edge. We open the clear membrane covering the lens to get access to the lens. We remove the old lens and replace it with an intraocular lens (IOL).
When the surgery is finished, we cover the treated eye with a shield as the incisions heal on their own. You rest in the recovery area for up to 30 minutes and should be able to go home afterward, but you need someone to drive you. You can expect itchiness, discomfort, and light sensitivity for the next two days
For a few weeks, you’ll need to avoid touching, rubbing, pressing, or getting soap in your eye. Don’t bend over or lift heavy objects. You should be fully healed from the surgery in as little as eight weeks.
Cataracts don’t have to rob you of your sight, and if you’re ready for surgery to get clearer vision, make an appointment with our team at Maryland Vision Center today.
