Cataract Surgery

A cataract appears on the eye in the form of a cloud over the eye’s lens. This cloud obstructs the patient’s vision, causing blurriness or even blindness. 

In adult patients, cataracts occur and are easily detected based on the changes in vision. Since their eyes are fully developed, cataract surgery removes the cloud covering the lens and restores eyesight back to normal. The longer you wait to have the surgery, the worse your vision may get. But after the cataract surgery is performed, your vision should be restored.

Pediatric patients are a bit different. Since their eyes aren’t fully developed until they are about 10 years old, cataracts could have a lasting effect on their vision. Even after having cataract surgery, vision may not go back to the way it was before, as is the case with most adult patients.

Detecting cataracts as early as possible is important. The earlier they are found, the earlier we can perform cataract surgery, which will result in a lower likelihood of lengthy damage. 

Things to know about cataracts:

• They can appear at birth or they can develop over time
• They can be in one eye or both, and can be worse in one eye than the other
• They appear in different parts of the eye and in different shapes

To ensure none of these symptoms go overlooked, your primary care doctor should be performing routine eye examinations. If you are made aware of a developing cataract, don’t be alarmed – these are normal.

When it comes to your eyes, it’s normal to be nervous about surgery. But as an acclaimed ophthalmologist with 25 years of experience, rest assured you are in great hands. 

The cataract surgery itself is the first step in restoring proper eyesight. In adults, the recovery after the surgery isn’t too complicated. For pediatric patients, there will need to be additional steps that aren’t necessary when it comes to adults. The reason children need additional treatment is due to their undeveloped eyes. 

After surgery, your child will need further treatment to repair brain-eye connections to help their eyes focus properly. Unlike adults whose eyes have already fully formed, a child’s need a little more attention. They may also need contact lenses or an eye patch in some cases.