When Is The Right Time To Get Cataract Surgery?

If you have cataracts, the best and only way to treat them is through cataract surgery. Cataract surgery is the most performed medical procedure in the country.

That isn’t surprising when you consider just how common cataracts are. By age seventy-five, half of all adults will have had at least one cataract.

But if you have cataracts, when should you get cataract surgery? It may not be as soon as you get diagnosed with them.

Keep reading to learn more about cataracts and when the right time to get cataract surgery is.

What are Cataracts?

Most people know that cataracts form in your eye and can make it hard to see. But not everyone knows exactly what they are.

A cataract is something that happens to your eye’s natural lens. They develop as proteins in your lens break down and clump together.

This clumping causes cloudiness which makes it hard to see. This process is mainly driven by age and is a side effect of getting older.

However, it is still unknown exactly how cataracts form. Despite that, how to treat cataracts is a well-known process.

Cataract Symptoms

When you have cataracts, you may not notice any symptoms at first. They tend to form very slowly for years or decades.

When they start to cause visual issues, it can be so gradual that you don’t even notice them. And even if you know you have cataracts, you may not attribute those issues to them.

But advanced cataracts can make it very difficult to see and can even cause complete vision loss. The most common cataract symptoms include

• Blurred vision
• Poor night vision
• Light sensitivity
• Glare and halos
• Trouble seeing contrast
• Double vision in one eye

If you experience several of these symptoms, you may have cataracts and should see an eye doctor. In general, you should see an eye doctor regularly.

That way, when your cataracts first develop, they can diagnose and track them. Tracking their development and your symptoms is critical in determining when you need cataract surgery.

When to Get Cataract Surgery

Cataract surgery is a straightforward procedure that involves removing your cataract-afflicted lens. The lens then gets replaced with an artificial one, called an intraocular lens, or IOL.

Cataract surgery is an elective procedure. You don’t have to get it. However, it’s often deemed medically necessary to save your vision, and depending on the IOL you select may be covered by insurance.

But determining when to have surgery is primarily up to you and your eye doctor. The general rule is that it’s time for cataract surgery when they begin to affect your quality of life.

It’s helpful, then, to know what kind of symptoms you’re experiencing and how severe they are. Also, pay attention to how difficult they make it to perform daily activities.

The right time to get cataract surgery varies by person and is partially subjective. Talk to your eye doctor about your symptoms and follow their recommendations.

If you have cataracts and are struggling in your daily life, it may be time for cataract surgery. Are your cataracts interfering with life?

Schedule an appointment at Berg Feinfield Vision Correction in South Pasadena, CA. Find out if it’s time for cataract surgery!