Treatment FAQ

what are the cataract treatment choices

by Dr. Bennett Sauer Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Cataract surgery involves removing the clouded lens and replacing it with a clear artificial lens. The artificial lens, called an intraocular lens, is positioned in the same place as your natural lens. It remains a permanent part of your eye. For some people, other eye problems prohibit the use of an artificial lens.Sep 2, 2021

Procedures

What is the Best Treatment for Cataracts?

  • Causes of Cataracts. In most cases, cataracts grow as people age, with the first signs appearing around the age of 50-60.
  • Treatment for Cataract. ...
  • Critical Cases. ...
  • Pre-Op Procedures. ...
  • Traditional Cataract Surgery Vs. ...
  • Final Note. ...

Nutrition

Other natural cataract options

  • Apple cider vinegar. You may find references to apple cider vinegar for cataracts. Again, this is a home remedy that has no proven effectiveness. ...
  • Honey. You might have heard that honey can cure cataracts. ...
  • Medical plants. A 2019 study in Frontiers of Pharmacology looked at dozens of medicinal plants and natural products used for cataracts. ...

What is best the treatment for cataract?

Natural Remedies for Cataracts

  • Alpha Lipoic Acid. During the last two years I have been testing the effects of nutrients on my glaucoma and cataracts (not for my myopia and accommodation which have improved ...
  • Astaxanthin. ...
  • Can-C (N-Acetylcarnosine Drops) I had a cataract in my right eye-tried every drop there is. ...
  • Carnosine. ...
  • Castor Oil. ...

How do you get rid of cataract naturally?

There are no natural cures for cataracts, although medical researchers are looking at nonsurgical approaches. Here are some of the “natural” cures touted to work, but that you should avoid. Work with a medical professional instead.

How to reverse your cataracts naturally?

Can you cure cataracts naturally without surgery?

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What are the three options for cataract surgery?

Surgical OptionsStandard lens implants are monofocal, meaning they are designed to correct the vision at one focal length. ... Premium IOLs include the presbyopia-correcting IOLs and the toric IOLs. ... Presbyopia-correcting intraocular lenses are designed to correct for distance and near vision.More items...

Which treatment is better for cataract?

Laser-assisted cataract surgery is the latest and most advanced method of performing cataract surgery. And many ophthalmologists prefer laser cataract surgery over traditional cataract surgery as a pre-treatment to “soften” cataracts.

What are the 2 types of cataract surgery?

According to the American Optometric Association, there are two types of cataract surgery: small incision cataract surgery and extracapsular surgery.

What is the best and safest cataract surgery?

Laser cataract surgery also lowers the risk of complications, and most patients require less recovery time afterward. While both types of surgeries are safe, for many patients, laser cataract surgery overall may be slightly safer for these reasons.

Which is better for cataract surgery laser or traditional?

Both methods are extremely successful and safe.” To translate that into simpler terms, on average, the evidence suggests that patients who have laser-assisted cataract surgery tend to see about as well as patients who have traditional cataract surgery. Not significantly better, or worse.

What is the newest cataract surgery?

The extended depth of focus Vivity lens is one of the most recent advancements in cataract surgery technology and can provide both high quality vision and a wide range of vision. Therefore, it can be a good choice for patients seeking glasses independence for the majority of activities with the fewest side effects.

Which lens is better monofocal or multifocal?

Whilst monofocal lenses provide focus at one distance only, multifocal lenses allow for vision at a range of distances, meaning they can correct both near, intermediate and far distance. These are a more popular option for those who want to also eliminate their dependency for glasses.

What is the most common cataract surgery?

Small-incision cataract surgery is the most common type of cataract removal. The eye surgeon makes a very small opening on the eye, next to the outer corner. A tiny probe gives off ultrasound waves to dissolve the core, hard part of the cloudy lens.

Does Medicare pay for laser cataract surgery?

Under your Medicare Part B benefits, Medicare will pay for one pair of prescription eyeglasses with standard frames or a set of contact lenses. But does Medicare cover laser cataract surgery? Luckily, the answer is yes. Medicare coverage includes surgery done using lasers.

Is laser cataract surgery better than scalpel?

Compared to traditional cataract surgery, the laser-assisted approach offers a myriad of advantages. First, the use of a computer-guided laser means the surgical incision is up to 10 times more accurate than a corneal incision done by hand.

How long does cataract lens last?

A cataract lens will last a lifetime, and the vast majority of patients do not experience any complications with their lenses after cataract surgery. In fact, the most common post-cataract surgery issue has nothing to do with your lens in particular.

What is the best time of year to have cataract surgery?

Doctors suggest winter as a good time to get the surgery done as the season can help you recover quickly. But it is not really stringent, all you need to keep in mind is if the vision is getting excessively blurred and your daily activities are getting hampered, then get the cataract removed as soon as possible.

What is the most common type of cataract surgery?

Cataract surgery. Cataract surgery. During phacoemulsification — the most common type of cataract surgery — the rapidly vibrating tip of the ultrasound probe emulsifies and helps break up the cataract, which your surgeon then suctions out (top). An outer housing of the cataract (the lens capsule) is generally left in place.

What is cataract surgery?

Cataract surgery involves removing the clouded lens and replacing it with a clear artificial lens. The artificial lens, called an intraocular lens, is positioned in the same place as your natural lens. It remains a permanent part of your eye. For some people, other eye problems prohibit the use of an artificial lens.

How long does it take for cataract surgery to heal?

After the procedure, you'll have some discomfort for a few days. Healing generally occurs within eight weeks.

What to do if you have cataracts?

If your doctor determines that you have cataracts, then you may be referred to an eye specialist who can perform cataract surgery.

How to treat cataracts before surgery?

To deal with symptoms of cataracts until you decide to have surgery, try to: Make sure your eyeglasses or contact lenses are the most accurate prescription possible. Use a magnifying glass to read if you need additional help reading.

How to prepare for a retinal exam?

Retinal exam. To prepare for a retinal exam, your eye doctor puts drops in your eyes to open your pupils wide (dilate). This makes it easier to examine the back of your eyes (retina). Using a slit lamp or a special device called an ophthalmoscope, your eye doctor can examine your lens for signs of a cataract.

Why is a slit lamp used in a microscope?

The microscope is called a slit lamp because it uses an intense line of light, a slit, to illuminate your cornea, iris, lens, and the space between your iris and cornea. The slit allows your doctor to view these structures in small sections, which makes it easier to detect any tiny abnormalities. Retinal exam.

Cataracts: Your Treatment Options

Your eyes have a natural lens. The lens bends or refracts light rays that come into your eye to help you see. This lens should be clear. As we age, most of us will develop cataracts, which is when our lens becomes cloudy. Seeing through a cloudy lens is a bit like looking through a frosted or foggy window.

What Are The Symptoms?

Most cataracts develop slowly and don’t disturb your eyesight early on. You may not even know you have a cataract. But with time, they can interfere with your vision and can negatively affect your quality of life. Symptoms may include:

How Did I Get Cataracts?

If you have been diagnosed with cataracts, you’re not alone. They affect more than 24 million Americans aged 40 and older. By age 75, approximately half of all Americans have cataracts.

What Are My Treatment Options?

If cataracts are impacting your quality of life or you’re experiencing symptoms that interfere with daily tasks, your ophthalmologist may recommend treatment.

What Is An IOL?

An intraocular lens or IOL is a tiny, artificial lens for the eye. It replaces the eye’s natural lens that is removed during surgery.

Which IOL Is Best For Me?

Based on your lifestyle and the health of your eyes, your ophthalmologist will recommend a vision package customized for you. For example, if you have astigmatism, your ophthalmologist may recommend a Toric lens with laser surgery.

Laser Cataract Surgery

Technology Leaders in Eye Care, Quigley Eye Specialists offers patients the Catalys® Laser System. Compared to another leading laser, the Catalys was found to use less energy and demonstrated superior patient outcomes (Khodabakhsh & Hobauer, 2018).

How to treat cataracts?

The definitive treatment for cataracts is cataract extraction. There are several widely accepted indications for requiring cataract surgery: 1 Vision has become so inadequate that it interferes with everyday tasks, such as driving, watching TV, reading, hobbies, etc. 2 The cataract is causing glaucoma and inflammation 3 The cataract is threatening irreversible loss of vision. 4 The cataract precludes the view of the back of the eye and is interfering with the treatment of a retinal problem such as diabetic retinopathy or macular degeneration.

How long does cataract surgery take?

This means that in capable hands, cataract extraction takes 5 to 7 minutes, with the patient enjoying greatly improved vision almost instantaneously in the recovery room. Refractive cataract extraction.

What is the effect of cataracts on the eye?

The cataract is threatening irreversible loss of vision. The cataract precludes the view of the back of the eye and is interfering with the treatment of a retinal problem such as diabetic retinopathy or macular degeneration. Modern cataract extraction includes several options, depending on the general status of your eye and your surgeon’s skillset.

What is the name of the laser eye surgery in Los Angeles?

The Benjamin Eye Institute offers laser cataract surgery at our state-of-the-art Los Angeles surgical facility for patients who wish to attain restored, clear vision. As a premier laser cataract surgery provider, Dr. Benjamin has extensive experience with this convenient, effective and comfortable solution for the removal and replacement of cataracts.

Why is my vision blurry?

When the surface of the cornea has an uneven curvature, the resulting vision is distorted. This common irregularity, called “corneal astigmatism,” causes blurred vision because light rays are not focused at one spot to provide clear eyesight.

Do you need glasses for cataract surgery?

This means that while the surgeon makes the best possible effort to eliminate the need for glasses, given the limitations of the technology utilized, glasses will most likely be necessary. Premium or refractive cataract extraction has a much heftier goal.

Where is Benjamin Eye Institute?

Your candidacy for the various procedures is best discussed at length during your visit to the Benjamin Eye Institute in Los Angeles. With that said, some of the options for your procedure include: Before the advent of phacoemulsification by the late Dr. Charles Kellman in the 1970’s, cataract surgery was a big deal.

What is the IOL lens?

This new lens — called an intraocular lens (IOL) — will usually provide you the same clear vision you had before cataracts developed. Fortunately, modern forms of cataract surgery have a low risk of complications. In addition to traditional procedures, laser cataract surgery can further improve upon success rates.

How to slow down cataracts?

One of the simplest ways to slow down cataract development is to quit smoking. It isn’t easy, but quitting can be very beneficial for your eye health — and overall health. All forms of smoking or ingesting tobacco apply, including things like vape pens and chewing tobacco.

What is compound 29?

Louis identified a substance known as compound 29, which removed some of the cloudiness in the lenses of mice with cataracts.

Can you use eye drops for cataract surgery?

Eye drops for cataract. The only eye drops prescribed for cataracts are the medications given before and after cataract surgery to reduce the chance of infection and inflammation. There are currently no eye drops available to treat or reduce the effects of cataracts — but there may be in the future. In 2015, a team of scientists from UC San ...

Can glasses help with cataracts?

Glasses for cataracts. Glasses can’t treat a cataract itself, but they can help ease some of your symptoms in the meantime. One type of cataract can make people more nearsighted, regardless of whether they were already nearsighted or not. The primary symptom is blurry vision when you’re looking at something far away.

Is cataract surgery the only treatment?

Cataract surgery. Surgery is currently the only method of cataract treatment. In the U.S. alone, millions of patients undergo successful cataract surgeries every year. In the early stages of cataracts, you may experience mild blurry vision or cloudiness. These effects slowly worsen as a cataract progresses over time.

Can cataracts worsen over time?

These effects slowly worsen as a cataract progresses over time. Once cataracts have a significant impact on your vision, an eye doctor will likely recommend surgery as the next step. Cataract surgery replaces the cloudy lens inside your eye with a clear, artificial lens.

How to treat cataracts

Choosing the right cataract treatment depends on the type and severity of your cataract. Your eye doctor can recommend the best treatment plan for you, which may include non-surgical lifestyle changes or eye surgery.

What happens before, during and after cataract surgery?

If you opt for surgery, then knowing what to expect can help you prepare and improve your chances for a successful cataract surgery recovery and outcome. Here’s what you can expect before, during and after cataract surgery.

How long after cataract surgery is vision blurry?

As your eye heals from cataract surgery, your vision may temporarily appear blurry, and your eyes may be sensitive to light. Most people completely heal from cataract surgery within eight weeks and report improved vision. Once your eye or eyes are completely healed, you might need an updated prescription for glasses or contact lenses.

Why is cataract called cataract?

The name cataract comes from the term for "huge waterfall," which is how some people describe their clouded sight: like trying to look through a waterfall.

How do you know if you have cataracts?

Cataracts typically do not cause any symptoms until they have grown large enough to interfere with vision. Symptoms include: 1 cloudy or blurry vision 2 double vision 3 colors appear faded 4 seeing halos around lights 5 increased sensitivity to glare

What age do cataracts appear?

Cataracts are usually an age-related condition. They first appear in the 40s or 50s, but may not affect vision until much later. Some cataracts are caused by an injury to the eye, long-term diabetes, the use of corticosteroid medications, or radiation treatment.

Can cataracts be corrected with glasses?

People with cataracts can use eyeglasses, magnifying lenses, or stronger lighting to help improve their vision. But the only way to cure a cataract is with surgery. Before going ahead with surgery, it's important to weigh how bad your vision is against the small risk of surgery and the likelihood that it will improve your vision.

Does cataract surgery help with vision?

Cataract surgery improves the vision of most — but not all — people who have it. In some people, the surgery causes posterior capsule opacification, in which the part of the eye behind the artificial lens becomes cloudy. This can be corrected with laser surgery.

How does an IOL work?

The surgeon may use energy from the laser to break up the cloudy lens before implanting the IOL.

What is the procedure to replace a cloudy lens?

These sound waves, known as ultrasound, break up the cloudy center of the lens. The surgeon then implants an artificial intraocular lens (IOL) to replace the cloudy lens. Laser-assisted cataract surgery involves the use of a camera/ultrasound imaging device that maps the surface of the eye.

How many people will have cataracts in 2020?

About 22 million Americans already have cataracts. By the year 2020, the condition will probably affect 30 million people in the country.

What is the best way to treat cataracts?

When performing traditional cataract surgery, the surgeon uses a scalpel blade to make a small incision on the side of the cornea. The surgeon then inserts an instrument through the incision to create a hole in the lens.

How do you know if you have a cataract?

Some people say that it is like looking through a foggy or cloudy window. As the cataract grows larger, you might begin to notice other symptoms. Light from a lamp or sunshine might seem too bright, for example, or headlights from oncoming cars may seem to cause more glare at night than before.

Why do colors not look as bright?

You might even notice that colors do not seem as bright as they once did. Cataracts are the most common cause of vision loss in people who are over the age of 40, according to All About Vision, and are the primary cause of blindness in people around the world.

What vegetables are good for eyes?

Grapefruit, strawberries, and avocados also contain glutathione. Corn, collard greens, eggs, and turnip greens contain carotenoids that are good for eyes.

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Diagnosis

Treatment

Clinical Trials

Lifestyle and Home Remedies

Medically reviewed by
Dr. Sanyukta Joshi
Your provider will work with you to develop a care plan that may include one or more of these treatment options.
Cataracts can be removed completely through surgery.
Procedures

Cataract surgery: Replacing the natural lens of the eye with an artificial lens or intraocular lens (IOL).

Nutrition

There are no specific foods proven to help cataract but certain foods can help maintain general eye health.

Foods to eat:

  • Beta - carotene containing foods such as carrots
  • Vitamin C containing foods such as oranges, mangoes, lemons and grapefruit
  • Vitamin A rich foods such as spinach, green vegetables

Foods to avoid:

  • NA

Specialist to consult

Ophthalmologist
Specializes in the medical and surgical care of the eyes.

Preparing For Your Appointment

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