Are You Ready For Cataract Surgery?
Have you had cataracts for a few years? Are they starting to affect your quality of life? There are many reasons patients and doctors decide that it is time for cataract surgery.
Patients can be hesitant about getting cataract surgery. In the end, they understand that their cataracts are affecting their life.
Surgery is the best option for restoring clear vision. Keep reading for some common reasons why you may be ready for cataract surgery!
You are a specific age
Sometimes it is hard to tell if changes in your vision are due to age or cataracts beginning to develop. Cataracts typically take a few years to develop to the point of needing surgery. Cataract surgery isn’t necessary until they cause vision loss or other severe symptoms.
Getting regular eye exams is the best way to find out if you have cataracts or another eye condition. Until age 64, you should get eye exams every two years and once a year when you are 65 and older.
Both of your eyes have cataracts
If you have a cataract in both eyes, your eye doctor may recommend having surgery on the worse eye first. Some patients think that if they have one cataract out, they don’t need the second one removed.
But to achieve truly excellent vision, both cataracts need to be removed. Leaving one cataract in the eye can be dangerous and lead to injuries like falling because you can’t see.
Blurry vision from cataracts affect how you see colors and lights
Cataracts can make you see more glare from lights. Colors can also appear less vibrant. To learn more about your cataracts, your doctor will do a variety of tests.
They will look at the thickness of your cataract and glare and refraction test results. Some patients experience relief from these vision issues by getting a new prescription.
This may help on a temporary basis but in the end, most patients will need cataract surgery.
Cataracts are negatively impacting your quality of life
If you have cataracts but they aren’t impacting you, most surgeons leave them. The time to remove them is when they start negatively affecting your quality of life.
This means you can no longer take part in your favorite hobbies or work. It also means that glasses and contacts can no longer correct or improve your vision.
Cataract surgery can seem scary but improving your vision is the best result! It gives you clear vision and makes you safer.
You have cataracts and another eye condition
Having cataracts and other eye conditions can be difficult. A benefit can be that they are both correctable during cataract surgery.
You can have cataracts and another one that is more difficult to treat due to your cataracts. When these situations occur, your eye doctor may suggest getting cataract surgery.
You can have cataracts as well as diabetic retinopathy or age-related macular degeneration. But having cataracts makes it challenging for your doctor to see the back of your eye. This makes it harder to track the progress of your second condition.
Making the decision to have cataract surgery is nerve-wracking but necessary. Improve your quality of life by scheduling a cataract appointment at Complete EyeCare West in Columbus, OH!
