Cataracts

A cataract occurs when the normally clear lens in your eye becomes cloudy, eventually impairing your vision.

The most common complaint due to cataracts is blurred vision in one or both eyes. The vision may worsen slowly over months or years. Some people experience difficulty reading, especially small print. Some have trouble driving in bright sunlight or at night, especially if it’s raining. Cataracts need no treatment if you can see well enough to do all of your daily activities without difficulty.

Signs and Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of cataracts may include:

  • Blurry or dim vision

  • Poor night vision

  • Halos around lights

  • Sensitivity to light and glare

  • Need for brighter light for reading and other activities

  • Frequent changes in eyeglass prescription

Treatment

In some cases, a stronger glasses prescription may delay the need for surgery. If you are experiencing any, or all of these problems, you should consider having cataract surgery. Cataract surgery has a greater than 99% success rate.

Dr. Arleo and Dr. Zablocki perform Cataract surgery at the Surgicare Center across the road from the office, they will remove the cataract and replace it with a clear artificial lens. It is an outpatient procedure, you will get sedative for anesthesia, the surgery is painless, no stitches or patches are required. If you are having both eyes done, we recommend doing them 1 week apart. 

Our surgical coordinators will call to check on you the afternoon/evening of your surgery and we will see you for a post operative appointment in the office the next day. You will also be scheduled for a 2 week post operative appointment, your Doctor will address glasses prescription needs at this appointment.

The most common surgical method:

Phacoemulsification (FAY-co-ee-mul-sih-fih-CAY-shun). This method, often called “phaco,” is the most common cataract surgery in the United States. An eye surgeon uses a special instrument to break up the cataract with ultrasound waves and then vacuums out the emulsified pieces. Phacoemulsification requires only a small eye incision — about 1/8 inch (3 millimeters).

Occasionally, cataract surgery will still leave you with limited vision due to the presence of other diseases of the eye, such as glaucoma or macular degeneration.