Will Cataract Surgery Improve my Vision?

 

The short answer is yes.  When a cataract is significant and there is no other issues with the eye, improvement is almost assured.  Cataract surgery is a common, safe, and effective procedure that can improve vision in most people who have it. Cataracts cause the lens of the eye to become cloudy, which can eventually affect vision. Cataract surgery involves removing the cloudy lens and replacing it with an artificial lens. The procedure is performed on an outpatient basis, and full recovery typically takes about four weeks. After surgery, expect your vision to start getting better within a few days, although it may be blurry at first as your eye heals and adjusts. Cataract surgery is successful in improving vision in about 97% of people who have it[1][2].

It is important to note that cataract surgery may not improve vision in cases where there is underlying eye damage from other conditions, such as glaucoma or macular degeneration. Therefore, it is good to evaluate and treat other eye problems before deciding to have cataract surgery[1].

In addition to improving vision, cataract surgery has other benefits not related to the eyes. For example, it can allow people to use their visual sense with greater awareness and more involvement in their surroundings. The procedure can also expand patients’ lifestyles, allowing them to enjoy activities they previously avoided due to poor vision. Cataract surgery has also been shown to reduce the risk of falls, which is a leading cause of injury in older adults. Furthermore, new research suggests that removing cataracts can help prevent dementia[5].

There are different types of cataract surgery, including traditional cataract surgery and advanced bladeless cataract surgery. With traditional cataract surgery, a small incision is made to remove the lens that has the cloudy cataract, and a clear, artificial lens is put in its place. During bladeless cataract surgery, a special LenSx® femtosecond laser dissects the clouded lens to remove it. During this procedure, the clouded lens is replaced with an artificial lens that can improve your vision, correcting astigmatism, or improving nearsightedness and farsightedness[4].  The additional cost of the laser is not covered by insurance and the cost cannot be passed onto the patient and in skilled hands the outcomes are identical.

Before deciding to have cataract surgery, it is important to talk to your ophthalmologist about what surgical technologies are available and what kind of intraocular lens (IOL) is best for you. All IOLs will provide clear vision, but they offer different focusing powers to correct nearsightedness and farsightedness. Monofocal lenses are the most common type of lenses used with cataract surgery. You can choose one “focusing” distance—up close, medium range, or distance vision. Most people choose to have them prescribed for distance and continue to use reading glasses to sharpen up-close vision. You can also choose something called “monovision,” in which the lens of one eye is set to see “far” and the other one is set to see “near” [3].   Many people tolerate this but some do not.

In conclusion, cataract surgery is a safe and effective procedure that can improve vision in most people who have it. It can also have other benefits not related to the eyes, such as allowing people to enjoy activities they previously avoided due to poor vision, reducing the risk of falls, and potentially helping with dementia by enhancing the sense of vision. Before deciding to have cataract surgery, it is important to talk to your ophthalmologist about what surgical technologies are available and what kind of intraocular lens (IOL) is best for you[1][2][3][4][5].

Citations:
[1] https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/cataract-surgery/about/pac-20384765
[2] https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/21472-cataract-surgery
[3] https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/cataract-surgery-options
[4] https://www.smarteyecare.nyc/blog/beyond-improved-vision-3-unexpected-benefits-of-cataract-surgery
[5] https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/surprising-benefit-cataract-surgery-treatment