Have you been diagnosed with cataracts? If so, you may be wondering when the right time to get surgery is. As the National Eye Institute (NEI) notes, cataracts can develop at any age, but are more common as we get older. By the time they reach age 80, more than 50 percent of Americans either have cataracts or had cataract surgery. Cataracts are a clouding of your eye's lens. Cataract surgery, explains the Mayo Clinic, involves removing that cloudy lens and replacing it with a clear, artificial one. Your surgeon will insert a lens to give you the best possible vision. Today there are many options with the lenses used during cataract surgery. You may be a candidate for a multi focal lens or a goal of monovision with your surgery. This can reduce or eliminate your need to wear glasses or contact lenses. The question is, when should you get the surgery done?
With the improvements that have been made to cataract surgery and the development of using artificial lenses, there's no need to put off surgery until the cataracts worsen and become a very big problem. Doctors will tell you a cataract needs to be removed only when it starts to interfere with your daily vision and with activities like driving, reading, watching television, or using the computer. However, you don't have to be a senior citizen to develop cataracts or to get surgery. Frequently people in their 40s and 50s can develop cataracts, but they often don't see much effect on their vision until later. In some cases, doctors recommend removing cataracts even if they aren't affecting your vision yet. This may be recommended in cases where the cataract interferes with your ability to drive at night or other daily fuctions.
Here are some factors to consider when it comes to timing your cataract surgery:
- Am I having trouble with night vision?
- Do I squint all the time?
- Is my vision cloudy or blurry?
- Am I having trouble working because I cannot see clearly?
- Do I have to squint and strain to read?
- Is my poor vision affecting my lifestyle and limiting my activities?
- Does glare from headlights or the sun interfere with my driving?
Ultimately, the decision of if or when to have cataract surgery is entirely up to you and your eye doctor. There is no hurry to make a decision once you are diagnosed, so take the time to talk with your doctor and consider the risks, the benefits, and your options. Sometimes, cataract symptoms can be improved or managed by wearing sunglasses-even indoors-to reduce glare, improving indoor lighting, or using stronger prescription lenses to help you see. But when they start to affect your everyday life and significantly impair your vision, surgery may be an option.
Would you like to talk to someone here at Woodhams about cataract surgery? Enter your information below and one of our patient care advocates will reach out to you or you can call us at 770-394-4000.
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