Cataract Removal—New Choices for This Common and Successful Surgery

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One aspect of aging that’s usually fixable is cloudy vision due to cataracts.

In an otherwise healthy eye, cataract removal results in improved vision 95 percent of the time, according to the September issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter.

Cataracts are common. By age 65, about half of all Americans have developed some degree of lens clouding due to cataracts. Diagnosed during an eye exam, cataracts develop slowly and may not hamper vision much at first. But when cataracts affect the quality of life—interfering with driving or reading—it’s time to consider surgery, the only treatment. 

The most common surgical approach is called phacoemulsification. An ultrasound probe is used to soften and break up the clouded lens, which is suctioned out. Then, the surgeon inserts an artificial flexible lens. The outpatient procedure involves minimal anesthesia and tiny incisions.

The standard lens implant has a single focus point (monofocal), meaning the implanted lens can’t adjust for both distant and close-up vision as can a natural lens. When a lens is implanted for distance vision, reading glasses will be needed, and vice versa.

The Food and Drug Administration recently approved a multifocal lens implant that can provide good vision for near and distance vision. However, studies have shown the versatility comes with some tradeoffs in quality of vision. For example, distance vision with a multifocal lens may not be as good as distance vision with a monofocal lens.

Whatever lens is selected, recovery time is generally quick. Mild pain and discomfort diminishes and disappears and vision steadily improves within the first few days. After several weeks of healing, patients can select glasses or contact lenses to fine-tune their vision.

Mayo Clinic Health Letter is an eight-page monthly newsletter of reliable, accurate and practical information on today’s health and medical news.

Source: Mayo Clinic

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