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If I Have Cataracts, Do I Have to Have Cataract Surgery?

If I Have Cataracts, Do I Have to Have Cataract Surgery?

Nearly half of all people 75 and older have cataracts, but just because they are common does not mean you should ignore them. Cataracts can gradually steal your vision, making your life and ability to do daily tasks unnecessarily challenging. Cataract surgery is an easy and effective way to restore clearer vision, so the eye team at Laser Eye Center of Miami wholeheartedly encourage you to have surgery. Read on to find out why.

Your Vision Will Continuously Get Worse

First, it is helpful to understand what cataracts are. Cataracts develop when proteins in the lens begin to break down and then cluster together. These clumps create blurry vision, and they can make it increasingly hard to perform everyday activities like reading, cooking, and driving. Cataracts also are likely to decrease your ability to see at night while increasing your sensitivity to light.

If you are like many people, you may seek new glasses to improve your vision. Unfortunately, prescription glasses and contacts cannot save your vision from cataracts. Without treatment, your vision will continue to get worse. The only real solution is cataract surgery.

While there is no rule that you must have cataract surgery just because your vision has declined due to cataracts, your vision will only continue to get worse over time. Even if you feel like you can handle the inconvenience of cataracts currently, that is not likely to always be the case. You should undergo regular eye exams to check your vision and mutually decide with your doctor when the right time for cataract surgery is.

Cataract Surgery Is a Positive Experience for Most Patients

Although cataract surgery is technically a surgery, it is hardly what most people imagine when they hear the word surgery. Compared to other procedures, cataract surgery is fast, minimally uncomfortable, and carries very low complication risks. During surgery, your ophthalmologist removes your natural lens and replaces it with an IOL (intraocular lens) that cannot develop cataracts later.

Moreover, since premium IOLs can help to correct refractive errors like astigmatism, nearsightedness, or farsightedness, you may be able to see even better than you did before having cataracts, without needing to rely on prescription glasses. It’s no wonder that a survey found that 93% of cataract patients would recommend cataract surgery to others.

Are You Ready for Cataract Surgery?

Dr. Gabriel Lazcano is one of Miami and Fort Lauderdale’s top ophthalmologists and has a successful track record of amazing cataract surgery results. To schedule a consultation, please call (305) 443-4733 today.