Are Cataracts Permanent?

Cataracts are an extremely common condition. More often than not, they’re the result of aging.

But they still can be very harmful to your vision. They develop slowly over time, and the more they develop, the harder it gets to see.

Eventually, they can result in complete blindness. But there’s good news: while cataracts won’t go away on their own, you can have them removed during cataract surgery. Keep reading to learn more about cataracts!

What are Cataracts?

What are cataracts? Cataracts form in the natural lens of the eye, making them cloudy. This is something that occurs as you get older.

With age, the chemicals in your body change, altering cells that compose various structures in your body. The cells that form the lens become hard, making them more opaque and less translucent.

The exact process that causes this change is unknown. Scientists know it’s related to aging, and it can also be due to diabetes and the extended use of corticosteroids, among other factors.

When you have cataracts, you may not have any noticeable symptoms at first. But as they progress, your vision will only become more cloudy and distorted.

Other symptoms you may experience include blurry vision, light sensitivity, halos, intense glare, and poor night vision. The longer you have cataracts, the more they progress and the worse symptoms are. Most people with cataracts will need to have them removed.

Treatment

You can treat cataracts. But there is no way to remove cataracts from the natural lens. They also won’t go away on their own.

The only way to effectively treat cataracts is to have cataract surgery. Having cataract surgery involves removing the natural lens of the eye and then replacing it with an artificial lens.

The artificial lens provides you with clear vision. While cataracts are permanent if left untreated, they can be completely removed when you have cataract surgery.

Cataract Surgery

Cataract surgery is one of the most commonly performed medical procedures you can undergo. It’s a low-risk procedure that requires no hospital stay.

You’ll be able to go home the day you have the procedure. If you have cataracts in both eyes, then you’ll have cataract surgery on each eye separately. This only happens once you’ve recovered and can see.

Having cataract surgery only takes a few steps. First, you’ll receive numbing eye drops and some light sedation.

Then, the surgeon makes a small incision in the eye to access your natural lens. They break apart the lens and remove it using special, tiny instruments that fit through the incision.

After removing the lens, it’s replaced with an artificial one called an intraocular lens, or IOL. This lens will allow you to see just as well as you could with your own, if not better.

IOLs come in different varieties, and some reduce the need for glasses altogether. Before having cataract surgery, you and your surgeon will decide what IOL is best for you.

The IOL is inserted through the same incision that the natural lens was removed from. The surgeon carefully aligns it to make sure it’s in the proper area of the eye.

After this, your cataract surgery is over! There are no stitches needed to close the incision as it’s small enough to heal on its own.

Cataracts can steal your vision, but you don’t have to suffer. When cataracts begin to affect your daily life, cataract surgery restores your vision and quality of life.

Wondering if it may be time to have cataract surgery? Schedule a cataract screening at Berg Feinfield Vision Correction in Beverly Hills, CA, today!