cataracts Archives

Are Cataracts Permanent?

Paul Stubenbordt on May 19, 2021

Cataracts are an extremely common condition. More often than not, they’re the result of aging.

But they still can be very harmful to your vision. They develop slowly over time, and the more they develop, the harder it gets to see.

Eventually, they can result in complete blindness. But there’s good news: while cataracts won’t go away on their own, you can have them removed during cataract surgery. Keep reading to learn more about cataracts!

What are Cataracts?

What are cataracts? Cataracts form in the natural lens of the eye, making them cloudy. This is something that occurs as you get older.

With age, the chemicals in your body change, altering cells that compose various structures in your body. The cells that form the lens become hard, making them more opaque and less translucent.

The exact process that causes this change is unknown. Scientists know it’s related to aging, and it can also be due to diabetes and the extended use of corticosteroids, among other factors.

When you have cataracts, you may not have any noticeable symptoms at first. But as they progress, your vision will only become more cloudy and distorted.

Other symptoms you may experience include blurry vision, light sensitivity, halos, intense glare, and poor night vision. The longer you have cataracts, the more they progress and the worse symptoms are. Most people with cataracts will need to have them removed.

Treatment

You can treat cataracts. But there is no way to remove cataracts from the natural lens. They also won’t go away on their own.

The only way to effectively treat cataracts is to have cataract surgery. Having cataract surgery involves removing the natural lens of the eye and then replacing it with an artificial lens.

The artificial lens provides you with clear vision. While cataracts are permanent if left untreated, they can be completely removed when you have cataract surgery.

Cataract Surgery

Cataract surgery is one of the most commonly performed medical procedures you can undergo. It’s a low-risk procedure that requires no hospital stay.

You’ll be able to go home the day you have the procedure. If you have cataracts in both eyes, then you’ll have cataract surgery on each eye separately. This only happens once you’ve recovered and can see.

Having cataract surgery only takes a few steps. First, you’ll receive numbing eye drops and some light sedation.

Then, the surgeon makes a small incision in the eye to access your natural lens. They break apart the lens and remove it using special, tiny instruments that fit through the incision.

After removing the lens, it’s replaced with an artificial one called an intraocular lens, or IOL. This lens will allow you to see just as well as you could with your own, if not better.

IOLs come in different varieties, and some reduce the need for glasses altogether. Before having cataract surgery, you and your surgeon will decide what IOL is best for you.

The IOL is inserted through the same incision that the natural lens was removed from. The surgeon carefully aligns it to make sure it’s in the proper area of the eye.

After this, your cataract surgery is over! There are no stitches needed to close the incision as it’s small enough to heal on its own.

Cataracts can steal your vision, but you don’t have to suffer. When cataracts begin to affect your daily life, cataract surgery restores your vision and quality of life.

Wondering if it may be time to have cataract surgery? Schedule a cataract screening at Berg Feinfield Vision Correction in Beverly Hills, CA, today!

Is Vision Loss From Cataracts Permanent?

Paul Stubenbordt on March 30, 2021

Cataracts are a very common eye condition. Almost half of all adults will develop at least one cataract by the time they reach age 75.

Cataracts can impair your vision, and if untreated, can cause blindness.

Keep reading to see if vision loss from cataracts is permanent.

Vision Loss From Cataracts Is Different

Vision loss from glaucoma or macular degeneration is permanent. Once it’s gone it’s gone.

But, blindness from cataracts can be completely reversed. By having your cataracts removed during cataract surgery you can regain clear vision.

Still, it’s better to identify cataracts before this point. Wouldn’t you rather treat them before they take away your vision completely?

Cataract Basics

Cataracts most often form as a side effect of aging. It is unclear why they form but they’re often the result of aging, eye trauma, diabetes, or corticosteroid use.

Tobacco use, excessive alcohol consumption, and UV damage can also increase your risk for cataracts. But these factors are not the direct cause.

No matter the cause, cataracts develop due to the lens becoming cloudy. Cells in the lens become less transparent over time, making it hard to see through the lens.

This process usually happens very slowly over many years. It makes it harder and harder to see over time.

You can think of it as trying to look through a foggy window. The foggier the window gets, the harder it is to see.

This fogginess is due to proteins in your lens breaking down and clumping together. When you have cataract surgery, you’ll be able to regain your clear vision.

Visual Problems

Cataracts lead to many symptoms, including:

Blurry vision
Trouble seeing in low light
Light sensitivity
Intense glare and halos
Difficulty seeing contrast

When your cataracts become advanced enough, you can start losing your vision. This doesn’t mean you won’t be able to see anything at all.

But it can get bad enough that you can’t see anything besides the basic outlines of objects, even if you’re wearing glasses. But the blindness that you experience with cataracts isn’t permanent if you have cataract surgery.

Treatment

Cataract surgery is the only treatment for cataracts. It’s a very low-risk, outpatient procedure. In fact, it’s the most common medical procedure in the country.

During cataract surgery, the surgeon replaces the foggy lens with an artificial lens. These artificial lenses are called intraocular lenses, or IOLs.

IOLs allow you to see as well as your natural lens, and depending on what kind of IOL you get, you could end up with the best vision of your life.

It’s best to have your cataracts diagnosed early so your eye doctor can track them. Having regular eye exams once you turn 40 is a good way to do this.

If you have cataracts, your eye doctor will likely recommend cataract surgery once you can no longer live your life and complete everyday tasks. You may not need to have cataract surgery right away.

But it’s easier to have them treated before you lose the majority of your vision. Having cataract surgery before severe vision loss will allow you to comfortably live your life.

Are you concerned about vision loss due to cataracts? Schedule a cataract screening at Berg Feinfield Vision Correction in Beverly Hills, CA today!

If you’re tired of cataracts, why not have cataract surgery before you can’t see?

Are There Benefits To Having Cataract Surgery Now?

Paul Stubenbordt on December 18, 2020

If you’ve been diagnosed with cataracts, there’s a good chance your doctor has brought up the possibility of cataract surgery. Cataract surgery is an elective procedure, but it’s often necessary to reverse or prevent a patient from going blind from cataracts.

The fact that cataract surgery is elective does mean that it’s partially up to you when to have it, although your doctor can make recommendations. There are some benefits to waiting to have surgery, but most doctors agree on when it is best to have cataract surgery.

Keep reading to learn more about cataract surgery and if there are benefits to having it now!

When to Have Cataract Surgery

The general recommendation from eye doctors is to have cataract surgery when your cataracts begin to affect your quality of life. The reason cataract surgery isn’t performed as soon as your cataracts have been diagnosed is that they take years to develop.

They may even develop slowly enough that you never even need cataract surgery. But once your cataracts make it harder to live your daily life, you should definitely have cataract surgery as soon as you can.

It may be difficult to tell if your cataracts are significantly affecting your life. If you’re not sure, ask yourself a few questions.

Do you have trouble reading?

If you’re older, you may have trouble reading due to presbyopia. This is a common age-related condition that makes it harder to see up close.

But if you have cataracts, reading glasses that would normally help your eyes focus won’t help you read. This is because cataracts affect your night vision.

They make it harder to read not because your eyes can’t focus, but due to lack of light. If you find it’s hard to read unless you have direct light, that could be a sign it’s time for cataract surgery.

Do you have trouble driving at night?

For the same reason, that reading becomes harder, driving at night can be very difficult and dangerous if you have cataracts.

This is due to poor night vision. Not only that but increased glare and light sensitivity can make headlights from other cars seem blindingly bright. If you don’t feel safe driving at night, it’s definitely time to have your cataracts removed.

Is it difficult to complete daily tasks at work or at home?

If cataract symptoms like poor night vision, light sensitivity, increased glare, blurry vision, double vision, and faded color vision make it harder to perform your job or chores at home, you should consider cataract surgery.

It may be hard to tell if your trouble is due to cataracts as they develop so slowly, but if you stop to think why certain tasks are hard, you may come to realize it’s due to visual problems. Think about how your symptoms affect you as you go about your day.

If you find you have to work around them, cataracts are certainly affecting your quality of life. Ready to find out if you need to have cataract surgery? Schedule a cataract screening at Berg Feinfield in Burbank, CA today!

Do I Really Need Cataract Surgery?

Paul Stubenbordt on September 11, 2019

Cataracts affect a large percentage of adults over the age of 40. Many of these people may have cataracts and don’t even notice it at first.

But if you find it difficult to see, your doctor may recommend cataract surgery. It is an elective procedure, so you may be wondering if it’s completely necessary.

The truth is, it’s the most effective treatment for cataracts. It’s also the only way to restore your vision. Keep reading to learn more about treating cataracts and when to have surgery!

Is There an Alternative Treatment?

There is no way to fully treat cataracts besides having cataract surgery. Cataract surgery only becomes necessary if cataracts impact your vision.

Even if you have cataracts, you may not need treatment. Some people with cataracts never experience symptoms severe enough to warrant surgery.

Since cataracts develop over time, there are people who never develop cataract symptoms. If you have cataracts that aren’t harming your vision, there’s no need to get them treated.

But when your doctor recommends surgery, that means your cataracts affect your vision.

Severity of Symptoms

For many people, they may not notice having cataracts at first. Common symptoms include blurry vision, light sensitivity, and poor night vision.

These symptoms may even be present without the patient noticing. Often, blurry vision may be mistaken for presbyopia. This is also associated with getting older.

The difference is, stronger glasses won’t improve your vision if it’s because of cataracts.

When cataract symptoms become obvious and severe, it’s a good time to consider surgery.

Quality of Life

Doctors recommend cataract surgery when cataracts affect the patient’s quality of life. This means that if you can’t see well enough to perform everyday tasks as normal, you should get surgery.

Cataracts may develop slowly enough to never be a problem. This is why cataract surgery isn’t always recommended at diagnosis.

But left untreated, they can get much worse. You can even go blind if your cataracts get more and more opaque.

The good news is, blindness by cataracts is reversible when you get cataract surgery. But you don’t want to wait until you’ve gone blind to get treated!

It’s much easier to get surgery at the point that your cataracts start to cause you trouble when completing tasks. It’s also helpful to get frequent eye exams so you can be diagnosed with cataracts as early as possible.

That way, your doctor can watch their progression and recommend treatment. If you do need cataract surgery, know that there’s nothing to be afraid of!

It’s one of the most common procedures performed around the world. If you have questions or concerns, talk to your doctor. They can answer any of your questions and set your mind at ease.

Think it’s time for you or a loved one to get cataract surgery? Contact Berg Feinfield in Sherman Oaks, CA to schedule a cataract screening! Don’t let your diminished vision from cataracts stand in your way of clear vision any longer! Isn’t it time to see the world with the clarity you’ve been waiting for?

4 Reasons Why Cataract Surgery Isn’t Scary

Paul Stubenbordt on July 24, 2019

Cataracts can be a real pain. They’re a very common condition, especially in patients over the age of 40.

Some people are lucky enough to have cataracts that don’t impede their vision. But for some cataracts cause major visual problems or even blindness.

If you have cataracts and you find yourself unable to perform daily tasks because of them, it’s time to get them out. There’s only one treatment option for cataracts, and it’s cataract surgery.

Being told you need any kind of surgery can be a little scary, but cataract surgery is nothing to fear. Here are a few reasons why:

It’s A Safe, Low-Risk Surgery

Any surgery carries some risk, and cataract surgery is no different. As far as surgeries go, cataract surgery is very low-risk. A small percentage of patients will experience complications.

An even smaller percentage experience serious complications. Almost all risks from cataract surgery are avoidable!

This is by caring for your eyes during recovery. You also need to take all prescribed antibiotic and anti-inflammatory eye drops.

It’s A Common Procedure

Cataract surgery is one of the most common medical procedures in the country. This actually isn’t that surprising considering how common cataracts are.

Lots of people get cataracts so lots of people need them treated at some point. But because cataract surgery is so common, the procedure is routine for most surgeons.

Your surgeon will know exactly what they’re doing. This means this is a surgery they’ve performed hundreds or thousands of times.

It’s Quick and Painless

Cataract surgery is an outpatient procedure, meaning you’ll be able to go home the same day. Not only that, but the surgery itself will only take about 30 minutes.

You will be awake for the surgery, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be any anesthetic. All that’s needed for the surgery are eye drops that numb the surface of the eye.

The surgeon applies the drops, and once the patient blinks, the drops are spread over the eye. This is what numbs the eye during the procedure.

To help the patient relax, most surgeons also will give a mild sedative. This means you won’t feel any pain and you’ll be very relaxed!

It Will Let You See Again

Not only is cataract surgery safe, fast, and painless, but it’s well worth it. Cataract surgery works.

It’s the most effective treatment for cataracts. Cataract surgery works because the entire lens gets removed from the eye. The lens is then replaced by an artificial lens or IOL.

It’s this IOL that allows the patient to see again. If you’ve gotten to the point where cataracts have impeded your vision, it’s time for surgery.

You can even see better than before if you get a premium IOL! There are many IOL options to choose from, so discuss these with your doctor before cataract surgery!

Concerned that you need cataract surgery? Contact Berg Feinfield in South Pasadena, CA to schedule a cataract screening with us! Haven’t you waited long enough to see well again? It’s time to see clearly!

What Is The Perfect IOL?

Paul Stubenbordt on May 6, 2019

If you have cataracts, your doctor may have recommended cataract surgery. This surgery removes your cataracts.

But with this choice to have cataract surgery comes another choice– what kind of IOL should you get? An IOL, or intraocular lens, is an artificial lens that replaces your natural lens.

There are many kinds of IOLs, which leads many patients to ask “which one is the best?” The answer isn’t straightforward, as no IOL is perfect for every single patient.

It depends on what your vision is like, what your needs are, and how much you’re willing to spend. Keep reading to learn some tips on choosing the right IOL for you!

Cataract Surgery

So why do you need an IOL at all? Well, to remove your cataracts, your natural lens has to be removed as well.

Cataracts form when the crystalline lens becomes clouded. This is usually a natural side effect of aging.

During cataract surgery, the surgeon makes a small incision in the eye. They then use ultrasonic waves to break up the lens and remove it.

This leaves the patient without a natural lens. You need a lens to see, so it’s replaced with an artificial lens.

The IOL is first inserted through the same small incision made to remove the lens. Once inserted, the IOL unfolds and takes over as the lens.

Available Options

There are several different kinds of IOLs. These include:

The Monofocal IOL, a standard lens that has only one focusing distance. You will still need glasses with this IOL.

The Multifocal IOL, a premium lens that has rings set to different focusing distances. This allows the eye to look through different rings to see up close and far away,

The Accommodative IOL, a premium lens that thickens and flattens accordingly. This happens when the eye is focusing on nearby objects and flattens when looking far away.

This allows you to see far away and up close. Compared to the multifocal lens, you have less up close focusing power.

The Toric IOL, a premium lens designed to correct astigmatism. Toric IOLs also allow users to both up close and far away.

If you decide to get a premium lens, know that they aren’t usually covered by insurance. You should expect to pay out of pocket if you buy a premium lens. For many people, a premium IOL is worth the extra cost to not wear glasses.

Choosing the Right IOL for You

With so many different IOLs to choose from, it can be hard to decide what to get. There is no kind of IOL that’s “the best,” but there is the best option for you.

If you don’t want to spend the money on a premium IOL, monofocal lenses may work fine. If you have cataracts in both eyes, you can have a monofocal lens put in each eye.

Each monofocal lens is then set to an opposite focusing distance. This is monovision, and it allows you to see well at most distances. It’s not as powerful as a premium IOL, so you may still need reading glasses.

If you don’t want to worry about wearing reading glasses, a multifocal IOL may be best for you. If you want better vision without the strength of a multifocal, try an accommodative lens.

Wondering which IOL may be right for you? Contact Berg Feinfield in Burbank, CA to schedule a cataract appointment today!

5 Questions About Cataract Surgery Answered

Paul Stubenbordt on March 8, 2019

If you or someone you know has cataracts, you’ve heard of cataract surgery. Cataract surgery is an elective procedure and the only way to treat cataracts.

Any surgery can feel daunting, cataract surgery included. You may have lots of questions and no answers about the procedure. Keep reading for 5 common questions asked about cataract surgery!

Do I Need Cataract Surgery If I Have Cataracts?

Not always. The answer to this question depends on if your cataract is affecting your life. It is possible to have a cataract and not experience any vision loss at all.

Cataract surgery only becomes necessary if your vision deteriorates because of a cataract. A cataract that isn’t bothering you now could over time worsen as well.

How Serious is Cataract Surgery?

Any surgery, including cataract surgery, should be something you take seriously. Although cataract surgery is effective and reliable, it still comes with its own set of risks.

As a whole, cataract surgery is a low-risk procedure. In fact, it’s actually the procedure performed most in the country.

Surgeons who perform cataract surgery perform it on a regular basis. This makes it one of the safest procedures to undergo!

How Is Cataract Surgery Performed?

Cataract surgery involves removing the cataract and the natural lens. Once these have been removed, they are then replaced with an IOL.

To remove the cataract and lens, the surgeon makes a small incision into your eye. Then, the lens and cataract get broken up using an ultrasonic device.

The broken pieces of the lens and cataract get sucked out of the eye using a small vacuum. The final step is inserting the IOL.

Patients remain awake during cataract surgery but under mild sedation. The eyes are also completely numbed, so there’s no pain felt during the procedure!

After Surgery, Will I Still Need Glasses?

In the past, cataract surgery involved only removing the lens. There was no artificial intraocular lens inserted to replace the lens. As a result, after cataract surgery patients had to wear thick glasses to see.

Nowadays, patients receive an artificial implant called an intraocular lens (IOL). IOLs allow patients to see, although they may still need reading glasses.

When picking an IOL, it’s important to make the choice based on your lifestyle. Depending on the IOL you choose, you may be able to live without wearing any glasses!

Make sure to talk to your cataract surgeon about what kinds of IOLs there are. You should also discuss if a premium IOL would be right for you.

How Much Does Cataract Surgery Cost?

While cataract surgery is elective, it’s almost always covered by insurance. This is because it’s usually performed to prevent or reverse blindness.

But insurance only tends to cover the cost of surgery and a standard IOL. If you want a premium IOL, you’ll have to pay out of pocket.

Premium IOLs can get a little price and often cost a few thousand dollars per eye. The IOL is permanent and never needs replacing, making the cost reasonable. But many people are happy sticking with standard IOLs.

Considering cataract surgery for yourself or a loved one? Schedule a cataract screening at Berg-Feinfield in Beverly Hills today!