Cataracts are nothing to fear and in fact, present a wonderful opportunity to live with clear vision for the rest of your life. To find out if you have a cataract, schedule your cataract evaluation with Dr. Walker.

The natural lens of our eyes functions similar to a camera, focusing images onto the back of the eye so we can see clearly, much like the lens of a camera focusing images onto film. At birth, our natural lens is clear, but as we age it yellows and hardens. In addition, the lens becomes cloudy, causing poor vision. This condition is called a cataract. If your vision seems cloudy, or if you’re having more trouble with glare, you could have cataracts.

Cataracts are usually a result of the natural aging process. Everyone over the age of 60 will at some point develop cataracts. As the lens becomes cloudier, vision becomes more blurred.

There are several common symptoms of cataracts, including a gradual dulling of colors, halos around lights or glare when driving, difficulty reading in low light, blurred or double vision, and a frequent need to change your glasses prescription. If left untreated, a cataract can progress until eventually there is a complete loss of vision in your eye.

Surgery is the only way a cataract can be removed. You should consider surgery when cataracts cause enough loss of vision to interfere with your daily activities. If you are experiencing any of these common cataract symptoms, you should be evaluated by a cataract specialist. During cataract surgery, your cloudy natural lens will be removed and a clear lens implant will be inserted in its place to restore your vision after cataract surgery.

Advanced lens implants now allow us to deliver better vision after cataract surgery than ever before. Many of today’s lens implants are engineered to deliver clear vision and multiple points of focus. These lenses, such as the PanOptix IOL and Vivity IOL, allow you to spend most of your day without glasses or contacts.

Schedule your personal lens evaluation with Dr. Walker to determine if the vision changes you’re noticing are related to cataracts.