Our eyes age, just like the rest of our body. However, they age differently. Over the years, the eye’s natural lens will grow cloudy as proteins build up and begin to clump together, which can obscure normal vision. This is what is referred to as a caract and is a natural part of the aging process. By the age of 80, more than half of all Americans will have a cataract. It is very treatable and nothing to really worry about.  Cataract surgery is the most frequently performed operation in the United States and, with a 98% success rate, it is also has the highest success rate of any surgery practiced today. Still, that doesn’t answer the one question on every patient’s mind…

When Should My Cataract be Removed?

The answer: When it starts giving you visual symptoms. If it’s not bothering you, leave it alone.

Okay, so maybe that wasn’t the be-all and end-all answer you were looking for, but it’s the truth. Every cataract case is different, and every cataract must be treated on a case-by-case basis. Surgery is most often recommended only when the cataract has begun to affect daily activity: reading, driving, working, etc.

Cataract surgery is a painless outpatient procedure and recovery is quick and easy. The surgery involves removing the clouded lens and, in most cases, replacing it with a clear, intraocular lens implant (IOL).Your eye doctor will make a small incision on the side of your cornea and use ultrasound vibrations to break the natural lens into small pieces. These fragments are removed and replaced with an IOL.

Most patients can resume their normal, everyday function in very little time and can even drive a few days after surgery.

To find out if you are ready for cataract surgery, schedule an appointment with your eye doctor – optometrist or ophthalmologist.

Schedule an Appointment Today!

A consultation with board certified ophthalmologist Dr. Samuel Boles will guide you through the treatment process and help you determine when cataract surgery makes the most sense for you. Dr. Boles and the experienced staff at the Anne Arundel Eye Center (AAEC) are a regional leader in the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma and cataracts.Staffed by caring and knowledgeable professionals, AAEC’s state-of-the-art treatment center is dedicated to making the best eye care accessible to everyone. Dr. Boles and the staff at AAEC have helped preserve thousands of patients’ vision. They can help you too.

Dr. Boles utilizes the LenSx® Laser, the most technologically advanced option for cataract patients today, to create a cataract surgery that’s 100% unique to each patient. Click Here to see the difference between traditional surgery and laser assisted cataract surgery.

If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Boles, Dr. Kathryn Gurganus Turner, and the eye care specialists here at AAEC by calling 410-224-2010. AAEC is staffed by caring and knowledgeable professionals who will help guide you on your healing journey.