What Are Cataracts?
A cataract is any opacity of your eye's lens or its capsule, and may cover the lens completely or be limited to a specific part of the lens. Cataracts typically occur in the eyes of older adults, and you're more likely to develop them if you're female, have significant exposure to the sun, have brown eyes, smoke cigarettes, use steroids, have experienced a trauma to the eye, or have diabetes. If you have a cataract, your symptoms may include: glare and halos around lights; night driving problems; blurred, cloudy, filmy or fuzzy vision; changes in the way you see colors; frequent changes in your eyeglass prescription; increased nearsightedness; and poor night vision. You will need several different tests for a complete assessment of visions problems due to cataracts. We will perform a visual acuity exam to determine the sharpness of your eyesight. Then we'll check for contrast sensitivity and glare problems. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, we'll dilate your eyes and perform a potential acuity exam, which will give you an idea of the visual improvement you can potentially achieve before you commit to cataract surgery. When we discover a patient has fully developed cataracts, we will make your appointment with an ophthalmologist of your choice. Removal is a simple outpatient procedure that Medicare covers. There's a followup visit with the ophthalmologist. Then back to Sunshine Eye Clinic for our signature personal attention for any prescriptions, eyeglass adjustments, and ongoing vision needs.
