what are cataracts
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Patient's Guide to Cataracts
WHAT ARE CATARACTS? A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye that can impair vision. Cataracts are very common, affecting about 60 percent of people over the age of 60. When people develop cataracts, they begin to have difficulty doing normal daily activities. Some of the most common complaints include difficulty driving at night, reading, participating in sports such as golf, or traveling to unfamiliar areas. Most cataracts develop slowly and are part of the normal aging process, but some can occasionally occur rapidly. |
Many people are unaware that they have cataracts because the changes in their vision have been so gradual. Cataracts commonly affect both eyes, but sometimes a cataract develops more rapidly in one eye. Beginning cataracts are usually diagnosed by Dr. Eisenberg during your routine eye examination.
WHAT CAUSES CATARACTS?
The lens of the eye is made up of water and proteins. These proteins within the lens are responsible for maintaining the lens's clarity. Over many years, the structure of these proteins are altered, ultimately leading to a gradual clouding of the lens. Other causes of cataracts can be severe trauma to the eye excessive exposure to ultraviolet light diabetes smoking or the use of certain medications, such as oral, topical, or inhaled steroids.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF CATARACTS?
Having cataracts is often compared to looking through the foggy windshield of a car or through the dirty lens of a camera. Cataracts may cause a variety of complaints and visual changes, including:
WHAT CAUSES CATARACTS?
The lens of the eye is made up of water and proteins. These proteins within the lens are responsible for maintaining the lens's clarity. Over many years, the structure of these proteins are altered, ultimately leading to a gradual clouding of the lens. Other causes of cataracts can be severe trauma to the eye excessive exposure to ultraviolet light diabetes smoking or the use of certain medications, such as oral, topical, or inhaled steroids.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF CATARACTS?
Having cataracts is often compared to looking through the foggy windshield of a car or through the dirty lens of a camera. Cataracts may cause a variety of complaints and visual changes, including:
- Blurred vision
- Difficulty with glare,often with bright sun or automobile headlights while driving at night
- Dulled color vision, with white colors often appearing yellow or gray
- Increased nearsightedness accompanied by frequent changes in eyeglass prescriptions
- Double vision in one eye
Some people notice a phenomenon called "second sight" in which one's reading improves as a result of increased nearsightedness from swelling of the cataract. A change in prescription of your glasses may help initially once vision begins to change from cataracts, but as cataracts continue to progress, vision becomes cloudy and stronger glasses or contact lenses will no longer improve sight.
WHEN WILL I KNOW WHEN CATARACT SURGERY IS NEEDED?
Dr. Eisenberg may mention during your routine eye exam that you have early cataract development even if you are not yet experiencing visual symptoms. Although he will be able to tell you when you first begin to develop cataracts, you will generally be the first person to notice changes in your vision. During your routine annual eye examinations, Dr. Eisenberg will monitor the progress of your cataract(s) and let you know if they are affecting your vision. When the time comes that the cataract is affecting your lifestyle or visual perception, he may suggest cataract surgery. He will explain the risks and benefits of cataract surgery to you, but the final decision to have the procedure is yours.
WHAT IS CATARACT SURGERY?
Cataract surgery is one of the safest procedures available with a very high rate of success. It is typically performed in either a hospital or state-of-the-art ambulatory surgical center. The most common method is called phacoemulsification, in which ultrasound vibrations dissolve the clouded lens and the particles are removed using advanced techniques.The natural lens is replaced with an intraocular lens implant (IOL).
Dr. Eisenberg may mention during your routine eye exam that you have early cataract development even if you are not yet experiencing visual symptoms. Although he will be able to tell you when you first begin to develop cataracts, you will generally be the first person to notice changes in your vision. During your routine annual eye examinations, Dr. Eisenberg will monitor the progress of your cataract(s) and let you know if they are affecting your vision. When the time comes that the cataract is affecting your lifestyle or visual perception, he may suggest cataract surgery. He will explain the risks and benefits of cataract surgery to you, but the final decision to have the procedure is yours.
WHAT IS CATARACT SURGERY?
Cataract surgery is one of the safest procedures available with a very high rate of success. It is typically performed in either a hospital or state-of-the-art ambulatory surgical center. The most common method is called phacoemulsification, in which ultrasound vibrations dissolve the clouded lens and the particles are removed using advanced techniques.The natural lens is replaced with an intraocular lens implant (IOL).
A newer, more advanced technique of cataract surgery uses a laser to perform the procedure. Although cataract surgery is considered to be the one of the safest and most successful procedures in medicine today, laser cataract surgery improves the precision of many of the key surgical steps to provide even better outcomes and potentially make cataract surgery even safer.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TRADITIONAL CATARACT SURGERY AND THE NEW LASER REFRACTIVE CATARACT SURGERY?
Traditional cataract surgery is one of the most frequently performed surgeries and also one of the most safe and effective, with predictable outcomes. It is highly dependent on surgeon skill, experience and the number of surgeries performed. In traditional cataract surgery, the surgeon uses a hand-held instrument to create an incision in the area where the sclera meets the cornea. With the new laser approach to cataract surgery, the surgeon creates a precise surgical plan with a sophisticated 3-D image of the eye called an OCT (optical coherence tomography). The goal is to create an incision with a specific location, depth and length in all planes. With the OCT image and a Femtosecond laser, Laser Refractive cataract surgery allows for a safe and more precise cataract surgery. In keeping with our goal of providing our patients with the state-of-the-art and most advanced eye care, our affiliate eye surgeons now give our patients a choice between traditional or Laser Refractive cataract surgery.
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF INTRAOCULAR LENS IMPANTS USED IN CATARACT SURGERY?
There are a variety of intraocular lens styles available for implantation, including monofocal, toric, and multifocal intraocular lenses. The doctor will help you decide which type of implant is best for you.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TRADITIONAL CATARACT SURGERY AND THE NEW LASER REFRACTIVE CATARACT SURGERY?
Traditional cataract surgery is one of the most frequently performed surgeries and also one of the most safe and effective, with predictable outcomes. It is highly dependent on surgeon skill, experience and the number of surgeries performed. In traditional cataract surgery, the surgeon uses a hand-held instrument to create an incision in the area where the sclera meets the cornea. With the new laser approach to cataract surgery, the surgeon creates a precise surgical plan with a sophisticated 3-D image of the eye called an OCT (optical coherence tomography). The goal is to create an incision with a specific location, depth and length in all planes. With the OCT image and a Femtosecond laser, Laser Refractive cataract surgery allows for a safe and more precise cataract surgery. In keeping with our goal of providing our patients with the state-of-the-art and most advanced eye care, our affiliate eye surgeons now give our patients a choice between traditional or Laser Refractive cataract surgery.
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF INTRAOCULAR LENS IMPANTS USED IN CATARACT SURGERY?
There are a variety of intraocular lens styles available for implantation, including monofocal, toric, and multifocal intraocular lenses. The doctor will help you decide which type of implant is best for you.
MONOFOCAL LENS: These are the most commonly implanted lenses today. They have equal power in all regions of the lens and can provide high-quality vision at a single focal point (usually at distance). Glasses with a light prescription may be needed for optimal distance vision. Monofocal lenses require corrective lenses for all close-up tasks, such as reading and writing. Some patients choose to have Blended Monofocal lenses, whereby one eye is corrected for far and the other eye is corrected for near. Dr. Eisenberg will help you decide if this method would work for you.
TORIC LENS: These lenses are used to correct patients with astigmatism or irregular oblong corneas. Similar to eyeglasses that correct for astigmatism, these lenses correct your vision by placing different powers in different regions of the lens so that your distance vision is free from distortion. While toric lenses can improve distance vision and astigmatism, they still require corrective lenses for all close-up tasks, such as reading and writing.
TORIC LENS: These lenses are used to correct patients with astigmatism or irregular oblong corneas. Similar to eyeglasses that correct for astigmatism, these lenses correct your vision by placing different powers in different regions of the lens so that your distance vision is free from distortion. While toric lenses can improve distance vision and astigmatism, they still require corrective lenses for all close-up tasks, such as reading and writing.
MULTIFOCAL LENS: Advanced technology have made these lenses one of the most popular options in cataract surgery today. These lenses have a variety of regions with different power within the lens that allows individuals to see a variety of distances, including far, intermediate, and near. Multifocal lenses cannot correct for astigmatism, and some patients may require an additional procedure such as LASIK to correct astigmatism and maximize their unaided vision.
DOES INSURANCE COVER THE PROCEDURE?
Most insurance plans do cover the cost of routine cataract surgery. Most services associated with routine cataract surgery are also covered under Medicare's national policy. If you have an HMO, an insurance plan that provides medical treatment on a prepaid basis, you may need to be referred back to your primary care doctor who has a list of eye surgeons that are contracted on your plan. Examples of HMO Plans are Kaiser Permanente and Anthem Blue Cross of California. PPO insurance plan members pay for services as they are rendered. Most PPO insurance members can choose the surgeon they want to perform their cataract procedure. In many cases, the physician may submit the bill directly to the insurance company for payment. In other instances, the patient is reimbursed by the insurance company, minus their deductible.
WHO PERFORMS CATARACT SURGERY?
Cataract eye surgery is performed by a Board Certified Ophthalmologist, or medical eye doctor. Patients who have an HMO insurance are usually referred to a surgeon on their HMO panel by their primary care physician. Patients with a PPO insurance plan, Medicare, and patients without insurance may choose their own surgeon to perform the cataract procedure.
DOES INSURANCE COVER THE PROCEDURE?
Most insurance plans do cover the cost of routine cataract surgery. Most services associated with routine cataract surgery are also covered under Medicare's national policy. If you have an HMO, an insurance plan that provides medical treatment on a prepaid basis, you may need to be referred back to your primary care doctor who has a list of eye surgeons that are contracted on your plan. Examples of HMO Plans are Kaiser Permanente and Anthem Blue Cross of California. PPO insurance plan members pay for services as they are rendered. Most PPO insurance members can choose the surgeon they want to perform their cataract procedure. In many cases, the physician may submit the bill directly to the insurance company for payment. In other instances, the patient is reimbursed by the insurance company, minus their deductible.
WHO PERFORMS CATARACT SURGERY?
Cataract eye surgery is performed by a Board Certified Ophthalmologist, or medical eye doctor. Patients who have an HMO insurance are usually referred to a surgeon on their HMO panel by their primary care physician. Patients with a PPO insurance plan, Medicare, and patients without insurance may choose their own surgeon to perform the cataract procedure.
Our Office Affiliate Ophthalmologist: Since1948, Warner Center Optometry has provided the most advanced eye care available to our patients. It is for this reason that we have partnered with Dr. Alan Berg, Chief Cataract Surgeon of Berg-Feinfield/TLC Vision Correction. As a pioneer cataract surgeon with more than 30 years of experience, he has performed thousands of successful cataract surgeries. Dr. Berg has served as Chief of Ophthalmology at many hospitals over the years and works very closely with Dr. Eisenberg. This "Team Approach" provides the patient with the very best eyecare both before and after the surgical procedure.