If you are age 60 and above and have noticed a decline in your vision, it could be time to get in touch with a surgeon at Excel Laser Vision Institute, a cataract and LASIK clinic in Los Angeles. Doctor Moosa, our LASIK eye surgery doctor, says that it is very normal for people at this age to experience blurry or even cloudy vision, which may be a tell-tale sign that they have cataracts. It is a typical condition in older adults and can be treated by your eye doctor in Los Angeles through laser vision correction.
What Are The Symptoms Of Cataracts?
Cataracts usually start off slowly. As a matter of fact, eye specialists at a cataract and LASIK clinic in Los Angeles say that you may not know you have them until they begin to block light. After that, you may notice the following:
- Vision that is cloudy, blurry, foggy, or filmy
- Nearsightedness (in older people)
- Changes in the way you see color
- Complications driving at night (glare from oncoming headlights, for example)
- Problems with glare during the day
- Double vision in the affected eye
- Issues with eyeglasses or contact lenses not working well
What Causes Cataracts?
Cataracts happen when protein accumulates in the lens of your eye and makes it cloudy. This prevents light from passing through clearly. As a result of this, a person may experience loss of eyesight. Also, there are many types of cataracts.
How Your Eye Functions
Your eye has a lens, which is a window made of clear protein and water that sits behind the pupil. The lens focuses light onto the retina, which transmits it to your brain.
As a person starts to get older, the proteins alter, and parts of your lens turn cloudy. This is referred to as a cataract. It can make objects appear blurry or give them a brownish tint.
Cataracts are the main cause of blindness, particularly in the elderly. However, they can be corrected through cataract surgery that is performed over 2 million times a year in the United States.
What Is An Intraocular Lens Implant?
If you are considering corrective eye surgery at a cataract and LASIK center in Los Angeles, it may be a good idea to understand what an intraocular lens implant is. Essentially, an intraocular lens implant (IOL) is an artificial replacement for the lens of your eye. It forms part of the surgery to treat cataracts. An intraocular lens implant, or IOL, consists of clear plastic material, and it is around a third the size of a dime. There are various different types:
Monofocal IOL
This is the most common intraocular lens implant. It is very different from your natural lens, which can stretch or bend to help your eye focus since this implant stays focused at one fixed distance. If yours focuses at a distance, you might be able to see things far away but need glasses to read or see close up.
Multifocal implant
This implant is similar to glasses with bifocal or progressive lenses because this lens has areas that help you see things at different distances. It could take several months for your brain to get used to so your vision appears natural. Keep in mind that it can sometimes cause more halos or glare around lights than a monofocal lens.
Accommodating IOL
This is a more flexible option, especially if you are looking for a lens that mimics a lot like your natural lens and focuses at more than one distance. It can prevent you from requiring reading glasses.
Toric IOL: Your eye surgeon may recommend this if you have astigmatism or a cornea that’s more football-shaped than round. This can make vision blurry all over, not just close up or far away. This lens reduces astigmatism, so you won’t need glasses to correct it after your surgery.
How Is the Surgery Performed?
If you have a cataract, you should visit an ophthalmologist. This doctor specializes in cataract surgery and other issues requiring surgery. They will most likely let you know that it is recommended to remove the cataract until it begins to affect your daily life. They can perform the surgery at a hospital or an outpatient clinic.
To prepare you for surgery, your doctor will do the following:
- Measure your eye. This will help them select the right implant for you.
- Give you medicated eye drops to take for a few days ahead of time
- Ask you to stop taking some medicines or to avoid wearing contact lenses for several days beforehand
On the day of surgery, they will tell you to do the following:
- Numb your eye
- Administer a drug to help you relax. You may see light during the procedure, but you should feel nothing or only gentle pressure.
- Create a tiny cut through your cornea to get to the lens
- Break the lens up into pieces and remove it bit by bit
- Put the implant in place.
- Let the cut heal by itself. You will not have any stitches.
You can usually go home in less than an hour, but it is important that someone else drives you.
Follow-Up Care
It takes around 8 to 12 weeks to heal fully. During that time:
- Keep your eye protected with sunglasses as much as possible, and sleep with your eye shield at night.
- Don’t rub or press your eye, even if you have the urge to scratch it or you notice the eye begins to ooze a bit of fluid.
- Take the medicated eye drops your doctor prescribes. You may have to use them for several weeks to help your eye heal.
- Avoid most exercise or heavy lifting. The doctor will advise you when you can do those things again.
If you want to learn more about intraocular lens (IOL) implants, contact Excel Laser Vision Institute at (888) 957-3255 or visit our website. Our expert team and well-esteemed cataract and LASIK surgeon, Dr. Moosa, is ready to answer all your questions.
