The right time for cataract surgery will be different for each patient. Early cataracts don’t cause significant vision changes, but mature, dense cataracts cause vision loss and interfere with daily life. Some men and women wish to avoid vision loss and have early cataract surgery, while others wait until their quality of life is affected. Cataracts are a part of the natural aging process, but a cataract diagnosis doesn’t mean you need surgery immediately.
Clarity Eye Group offers laser-assisted cataract surgery with monofocal IOLs or upgraded lifestyle lenses. The only way to address cataracts is with cataract surgery. The procedure removes the clouded lens and replaces it with an intraocular lens (IOL) implant that corrects for distance vision or a lifestyle implant that improves near, intermediate, and distance vision.
Are You Apprehensive About Cataract Surgery?
Some patients may put off cataract surgery because they’re apprehensive or afraid of invasive eye surgery. Cataract surgery is a highly successful procedure and the most popular elective surgery among Medicare patients in the United States. Multiple studies have demonstrated cataract removal improves quality of life. Patients who have cataract surgery are less likely to suffer a fall or be involved in a car crash. One study even found that compared to people who did not have cataract surgery, those who had cataracts removed and replaced with IOLs had a 40% reduction in mortality risk.
When Should You Consider Cataract Surgery?
The right time to have cataract surgery is ultimately your decision. You may need the procedure if you experience these issues:
- The cataract impacts your ability to perform your job or complete everyday activities due to yellowish, blurry, dim, or double vision. The lack of contrast makes reading, working, driving, cooking, sewing, and other tasks challenging.
- The cataract affects your driving abilities at night, causing halos and difficulty seeing in low-lit settings. Advanced cataracts may cause you to fail the visual field test required to carry a driver’s license.
- The cataract stops you from enjoying outdoor activities because of glare, such as skiing, surfing, and golfing. Some golfers struggle because one eye sees differently than the other, and it affects their aim and swing.
- Lifestyle changes do not improve your quality of life because the cataract is too dense. That includes brighter lighting in your home, polarized sunglasses, and other tricks and products to improve vision by reducing glare and enhancing contrast.
If cataracts aren’t disrupting your daily life, you can certainly wait to have cataract surgery until symptoms are bothersome or affect your vision. Some patients may wish to avoid these problems and have cataract surgery long before the clouded lens matures. Early cataract surgery reduces the length of the procedure and offers a faster, easier recovery process. Patients enjoy better vision without struggling with the visual impairment of dense, mature cataracts.
If you’re interested in cataract surgery, contact Clarity Eye Group in Huntington Beach, California, at (714) 842-0651 to schedule an eye exam and consultation. Our eye doctors serve patients in Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Orange County, and nearby California areas.