Cataracts, or cloudy lenses in the eyes, are a result of aging and are very common among older people. If a cataract becomes sufficiently dense and cloudy, your vision can be impaired and treatment may become necessary if proper vision is to be maintained.
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| Normal lens with a clear view |
Cataractous lens with a blurry view |
While cataracts can develop from causes other than aging, they all have the same effect and are all treated the same. All cataracts result in declining visual ability that appears as cloudy or blurred vision, poor night vision and faded colors, with glare and halos sometimes appearing around light sources. A comprehensive eye examination, such as one available at Easton Eye Consultants can definitively determine the presence of cataracts.
While magnifying glasses, new eyeglasses, and brighter lighting can sometimes help, surgery is often the only effective treatment. After the eye is examined and the options are discussed with the patient, the cloudy lens is surgically removed and replaced with permanent intraocular lens.
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Nuclear Sclerotic Cataract
(most common) |
Cortical Cataract (spoke-like)
(extremely common) |
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Posterior Sub-Capsular Cataract
(very common) |
Dense (traumatic) Cataract |
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Lamellar Cataract
(usually congenital) |
Cerulean Cataract |
The procedure is performed in an outpatient setting with no need for hospitalization. Drops are used to produce local anesthesia, and the entire procedure typically takes ten to fifteen minutes. During that time, a very small incision is made in the eye through which the cloudy lens is removed and a replacement lens is fitted into the proper position. The implanted lens may be either fixed focus, which will entail use of reading glasses after the operation, or it may be multifocal and provide near, far, and midrange vision. Dr. Negahban has been one of the more active surgeons in the Boston area for implanting premium and advanced intraocular lenses such as ReSTOR and Crystalens HD that behave more like your eye’s natural lens.
Recovery from the operation is quick, and after a short period of observation and rest, the patient can usually return home the same day. Eye drops are frequently prescribed and the eye may be covered for a short time, but improved vision is evident immediately and increases over the next month.
If you believe you have a cataract, or are considering having one removed to regain your vision, please call us at (508) 238-2388 to arrange an appointment where an examination can be performed and your questions answered. Dr. Negahban performs hundreds of cataract surgeries every year and his expertise and confidence will let you know that your vision is in the best of care. He actively teaches cataract surgery through his academic affiliation with Boston University, and often performs complex cataract surgeries that are referred from other ophthalmologists.
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