Many people may hear this diagnosis after they turn 50 years old: “You need to have surgery for cataracts.” A cataract itself is a type of clouding over the eye – one that leads to vision loss that cannot corrected with contact lenses, eyeglasses, or refractive surgery such as LASIK.
Therefore, the idea of cataract surgery in Temecula, CA can at first sound rather unnerving. However, you need not be dismayed if you need surgery, because a cataract procedure can restore your vision. The surgery successfully restores people’s vision and in many cases also reduces their dependence on wearing glasses.
An Increasing Vision Problem
Cataracts develop over time and are associated with aging. In fact, about 68% of people who are 80 years old or older need to have cataract surgery. This tendency to develop cataracts will not dissipate either. Instead, it is expected to increase in the future. According to the National Eye Institute (NEI), people in the U.S. with cataracts will number around 50 million by the year 2050.
How Cataract Procedures Are Performed
Thankfully, cataract surgery is one of the easiest and safest ways to rid yourself of cataracts permanently. During the procedure, the lens that has become clouded is removed and replaced with an intraocular lens, also known as an IOL. An IOL is an artificial lens that restores one’s vision. Usually, a high-frequency ultrasonic piece of equipment disintegrates the old lens into very tiny pieces. These pieces are then removed with a suctioning device.
Learn More about the Use of Lasers
This process, which is called phacoemulsification, can be performed with the use of smaller incisions. In turn, healing is faster and complications such as retinal detachment are significantly reduced. Recently, femtosecond lasers have been approved by the FDA for cataract surgery procedures. Therefore, you will have to learn more about the procedure that is offered by your vision specialist.
Visit Temecula Eye Center Optometry for all the details about various types of laser surgery including LASIK, cataract procedures, and similar ocular therapies. You can also check out their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/TemeculaEyeCenter/.
