• Cataracts

    Illustration of a cloudy blue eye with cataracts

Cataract Treatment Plano, TX

By Our Ophthalmologist in Plano

By the time we reach the age of 80, more than fifty percent of people living in the United States will have a cataract or surgery to remove it. Cataracts affect the clear lens of the eye by clouding it and blocking the way light enters the retina. Once the cloud in the lens grows, vision can be impaired. While most mild cataracts can be fixed with corrective eye wear, severe cases will need cataract surgery. At Texas Eye Surgeons in Plano, our eye surgeon has years of experience in restoring sight to patients who have cataracts.

What Are the Signs Of Cataracts?

Cataracts start out small, and may not show symptoms at first. As it begins to grow, you may experience blurry or cloudy vision. Glare from sunlight or headlights of oncoming cars at night can become a problem. You might start seeing halos around street lights and lamps. Double vision can occur as well, but usually in one eye. Frequent prescription changes in eyewear can also be a sign of cataracts.

What Does An Ophthalmologist Have to Do to Diagnose Cataracts?

Unless your cataracts are advanced, diagnosis is a simple eye exam. Your eyes may have to be dilated for our eye doctor to see the lens and structures of your eyes. Our eye surgeon may measure how well you can see at a distance with a visual acuity test and may use an instrument like tonometry to see the pressure in your eyes.

What to Expect During Cataract Surgery?

Your eye surgeon will numb your eye first, and then give you an injection of an anesthetic. You won’t be able to see anything that is going on during the procedure. A laser is then used to create an opening in the corneal tissue so that the lens capsule can be accessed. Afterward, we break down the lens in order to remove it and replace it with an artificial one. Once the surgery is completed, our eye surgeon will want to monitor your eyes in case there are any complications that need to be addressed.

Don’t Put Off Treatment for Cataracts. Call Texas Eye Surgeons Today!

Cataracts can make your life difficult. Request your appointment with our eye surgeon at Texas Eye Surgeons in Plano and the surrounding areas by calling (972) 379-3937 today!

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About Cataracts

Cataract FAQs

Your eye health and vision change as you age. The older you become, the greater your risk becomes for developing eye conditions like cataracts. These FAQs from Texas Eye Surgeons in Plano and explain more about what causes cataracts, how to manage this condition, and how to treat them.

Normally, the lens of your eye is clear. As you age, however, the lens may begin to cloud over, causing your vision to become blurry or dim. Cataracts are a natural part of aging and are most common among seniors over the age of 65.

In the early stages of cataracts, you may not notice any symptoms. As cataracts grow, however, you may experience the following changes in your vision:

  • Blurred or dimmed vision
  • Difficulty reading
  • Appearance of halos, especially around lights
  • Double vision
  • Poor night vision

If you notice these or other changes in your vision, contact us for an eye checkup. We’ll provide you with an accurate diagnosis of your condition.

No. Neither can you reverse your condition once cataracts start to form. You can, however, minimize the progression of this condition by protecting your eyes from the sun, quitting smoking, drinking in moderation, eating a healthy diet, and managing medical conditions that affect your eye health.

There’s generally no need to treat mild cataracts if they’re not impairing your sight. Through annual eye exams, your eye doctor can monitor your condition. Once cataracts begin to seriously obstruct your vision, we’ll recommend cataract surgery. Surgery is performed on one eye at a time so you can continue having some sight during the process.

Cataract surgery entails removing your eyes’ cloudy natural lenses and replacing them with Intraocular Lenses (IOLs). IOLs are manmade lenses that take the place of the eyes’ natural lenses to improve your sight. Your eye surgeon will take accurate measurements of your eyes before the surgery to determine the power of IOL that you need. Once in place, IOLs function as a permanent part of your eyes, requiring no maintenance or care to enhance your sight.

All surgeries come with risks and cataract surgery is no exception. By working with an experienced eye surgeon, however, you minimize these risks and increase your chances of having a successful surgery.

Cataract surgery only becomes necessary if your cataracts have progressed to the point where you are not happy with your vision and are seeking an improvement. However, once you reach this point, surgery is currently the only option for effective treatment.

Since this procedure does not take very long, general anesthesia is not necessary, and you will be awake. Your surgeon will use a local/topical anesthetic to numb your eye and you will be given a mild sedative to calm you down.

Every patient and every eye is different, but patients commonly see well enough to drive the day after surgery.

Most patients can resume normal basic activities like reading and watching TV by the next day, and return to work within two to seven days. Eye doctors typically recommend against any strenuous activity for two or more weeks.

Most recipients of a traditional replacement lens will require glasses for certain activities.

Your ability to drive at night should be much enhanced once your cataract is removed. Patients with the PanOptix intraocular lens may notice a ring of light around headlights and other point-light sources. These are typically mild, rarely bothersome, and tend to diminish with time.

Once a cataract has been removed it cannot return. However, over time, patients may complain that their vision has once again become cloudy. This is due to a condition, which may occur with any type of intraocular lens, known as a secondary cataract or “PCO.” Secondary cataracts can be easily treated by a simple laser procedure performed in the office, called a Yag Capsulotomy.

As with any surgical procedure, there are risks. There is a chance that you will experience halos or glare in your vision, but this is uncommon and usually goes away in time. With a standard intraocular lens, you will likely require reading glasses.

Although this is very unlikely, the intraocular lens can be replaced with a different one if needed.

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Cataract Surgery Consultation

At Texas Eye Surgeons In Plano

To schedule an appointment for cataract treatment, contact an eye doctor from Texas Eye Surgeons in Plano and surrounding areas at (972) 379-3937 today.

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