Cataract Surgery

Difficulty seeing at night because of glare may be a sign that you are developing cataracts which, as a progressive condition, ultimately diminishes your visual acuity and perception of color.

What is a cataract and what are the symptoms?

Our eyes have a natural lens that bends (refracts) light to form an image on the retina, the area in the back of the eye. In a normal healthy eye, the lens is clear, but through age or insult, it is possible for the lens to become cloudy, resulting in a blurry image – as if you were looking through a dusty window.

Cataracts are one of the leading causes of vision impairments and, fortunately, cataract surgery is one of the most common surgical procedures in the United States.

In addition to the high-quality outcomes that are achieved with cataract surgery, there is also the opportunity to correct a vision impairment that may have required a patient to wear glasses throughout their lives.

There is no way to prevent cataracts, by way of medicine or diet. Once cataracts have developed to a point where they affect the activities in daily living, such as reading, driving at night, watching television, the only way to correct your impaired vision is to remove the natural lens and replace it with an artificial lens.

What to Expect?

Cataract Surgery is a quick, relatively pain-free procedure. You will be back to normal activities within a day following surgery. Surgery is typically taking place at the Andover Cataract and Laser Center on an outpatient basis. Some insurance requires surgery to be performed at Lowell General Hospital.

Someone will need to accompany you on the day of surgery as well as the first post-operative appointment on the day following surgery. Your doctor will prescribe eye drops to reduce the risk of infection and swelling.

Following surgery, your vision will continue to adjust for several weeks. Surgery is accomplished one eye at a time to give you time to adjust to the new lens.

While cataract surgery is a relatively safe procedure, there can be complications that are relatively rare and most can be treated successfully. Your doctor will review the risks and benefits of cataract surgery so that you can make an informed decision about your options.

If you have been diagnosed with cataracts by another eye care professional please call our office to request a cataract consult examination.