Cataracts develop with age, and are one of the leading causes of vision impairment in the world today. For the 2.5 million Canadians currently living with cataracts, we have some good news: cataract removal surgery is quick, highly effective and extremely safe.
Cataracts are usually diagnosed during one of our comprehensive eye exams, either with a routine check-up or when a patient starts noticing symptoms. A referral for consultation is then made to one of our best cataract surgeons in London or surrounding area. During the consultation, your eyes will be re-examined and treatment options will be discussed.
It is usually very simple and is one of the safest surgeries of modern times. The cloudy lens is dissolved and removed from your eye. An Intraocular Lens (IOL) is then placed inside your eye, acting as a permanent replacement for your original lens. The entire procedure takes less than 10 minutes and does not require an overnight stay in hospital.
An eye patch will be worn immediately after surgery, and many patients report improvements to their sight within one or two days. It can take up to several weeks for your vision to stabilise, but we’ll keep in regular contact to ensure that your recovery goes as smoothly as possible.
Remember, we are here for you – don’t be afraid to schedule an appointment to speak with an optometrist if you have questions, concerns, or are experiencing discomfort following surgery.
Over time, the soft and malleable lens inside your eye can stiffen and become clouded. This opacity will increase over time, and gradually affect your clarity of vision. They usually occur in both eyes although one eye may be worse than the other.
The majority of cataracts are experienced by those over the age of 50, since the lens tends to stiffen and become clouded over time. By the age of 80, the majority of adults will suffer from cataracts in one or both eyes. However, cataracts can also occur in newborn children. This condition is known as congenital cataracts and affects several children in every 10,000 new births.
The primary symptom is slightly clouded vision, often described as being akin to “looking through a dirty car windshield”. Other symptoms include:
Light sensitivity, or seeing ‘halos’ around lights.
There is no single “cause” of cataract, although there are several risk factors which have been related to their development. These include:
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