Cataract

A cataract is a clouding of the eye’s naturally clear lens (see diagram below). The lens is important for focusing light rays onto the retina. When the lens becomes cloudy, light rays do not pass into the eye easily and the vision becomes blurred.

What is done to treat cataracts?
A cataract may not need to be treated if the vision is only slightly blurry. There are no medications, eyedrops, exercises, or glasses that will cause a cataract to disappear once formed. Surgery is the only way to remove a cataract. When you are no longer able to see well enough to do the things you like to do, cataract surgery should be considered.
In cataract surgery, the cloudy lens is removed from the eye through a surgical incision, and the lens is replaced with a permanent intraocular lens (IOL) implant. This surgery is performed on an outpatient basis. Dr. Mudgil typically uses topical drops to numb the eye, and the anesthesia staff administers IV sedation to help keep the patient relaxed.

Will cataracts come back after they are removed? 
Once a cataract has been removed it will never come back. However, there is a chance that the posterior capsule membrane that rests behind the IOL can get cloudy in time. Some call this a "secondary cataract." The correct term for this condition is "posterior capsule opacification" (PCO). PCO is treated with a painless laser procedure called Yag laser capsulotomy. The procedure takes about two minutes and does not require an incision or a return to the operating room. Once PCO has been treated, it should never occur again.

What are the risks of cataract surgery?
No surgery is "risk-free," including cataract surgery. Certain complications are possible with cataract surgery. Some of these include retinal detachment, inflammation, glaucoma, hemorrhage, corneal edema, infection (endophthalmitis), need for additional surgery, and risks of anesthesia. Any of these complications can cause loss of some vision or even blindness. Fortunately, cataract surgery is one of the most successful surgical procedures today; the odds are overwhelmingly in the patient’s favor that the procedure will be successful.

Will I need glasses after cataract surgery?
The short answer is YES, unless you are a candidate for the ReSTOR ® multifocal IOL (see below). Most patients who receive a traditional monofocal IOL see well enough to drive without glasses after surgery. However, there is no guarantee that glasses will not be necessary after cataract surgery. It is more likely that you will need reading glasses than glasses for the distance. If glasses are required, they are usually very thin, not thick like the cataract glasses used before IOLs became available. Some patients have other factors that may limit the surgeon's abilities or options to provide distance vision without glasses.

What is the ReSTOR multifocal IOL?
AcrySof ® ReSTOR ® is the first and only IOL (intraocular lens) that uses apodized diffractive technology to provide cataract patients with and without presbyopia a quality range of vision. In clinical trials, 80 percent of patients reported “never” wearing reading glasses or bifocals following bilateral cataract surgery. The vast majority of patients who undergo cataract surgery today receive traditional monofocal IOLs, which typically require patients to use reading glasses or bifocals for near vision following surgery.

The AcrySof ® ReSTOR ® lens is a foldable IOL that represents remarkable technology because of its unique, patented optic design, which allows patients to experience the highest level of freedom from glasses ever achieved in IOL clinical trials. If you are a candidate for this lens, we will discuss the option with you at the cataract consultation.