Understanding Cataracts and Getting Treatment

A clouding of the eye's natural lens, which lies behind the iris and the pupil in people over age 40, is known as cataracts. It is the primary cause of blindness in the world and while it is a condition directly related to ageing, diabetes, smoking, significant trauma to the eye, exposure to radiation, prolonged exposure to sunlight, high blood sugar, prolonged use of oral corticosteroids, genetic illnesses such as Wilson's disease or Down syndrome are also risk factors for the development of cataracts.

Cataracts are neither painful nor do they make the eye itchy or red; however, the type of cataract someone has will directly affect the symptoms they will experience and how soon they will occur. Cataract surgery has been found to be extremely successful in helping patients with serious cataract-related vision impairment to regain their eyesight. A cataract surgeon surgically removes the clouded lens and replaces it with a clear, plastic IOL or intraocular lens.

Different Types of Cataracts

There are three main types of cataracts that affect different parts of the eye lens or a combination of all three. Consider the following:

• The posterior sub capsular cataracts – Where the lens develops major opacity
• Nuclear cataracts - Affects the center of the lens
• Cortical cataracts - The side of the lens appears whitened and in many cases vision impairment
• Congenital cataracts can be nuclear, cortical, or sub capsular and are present from birth as a result of an infection contracted by the mother during pregnancy or due to a genetic condition.

Knowing the Signs and Symptoms

To the untrained eye, cataracts may be difficult to detect, but the first signs will be a hazy or blurred vision. You should consider seeing a cataract surgeon if you experience the following signs and symptoms:

• Visible white spots on the pupil
• Difficulties with night vision, particularly when you are driving at night
• Intense sensitivity to light, glares, or halos
• A repeated change in your glasses or contacts prescription

An eye doctor or surgeon will conduct a series of tests such as a visual acuity test where you will be asked to read a series of letters off of a Snellen eye chart posted 20 feet away from you. A slit lamp exam allows your doctor to check for other serious eye conditions. There is also other eye tests known as the glare and contrast sensitivity test, tonometry test, Ishihara color test, all used in diagnosing advanced cataracts as well as other eye problems such as glaucoma or macular degeneration.

A Solution to the Problem

While there is nothing positive about having your eyesight impaired, the good news is that cataracts only affect the lens and cataract surgery only comes highly recommended when new glasses, contacts, anti-glare lenses, and magnification devices are not as effective. Also, if you do not receive a good score on your visual acuity, glare, contrast sensitivity, or Ishihara color tests or when your condition begins to affect the quality of your life in a negative way such as being unable to drive or productive at work.

If you are looking to reduce or even get rid of your eye glasses and/or contacts let us at Rohr Eye & Laser Center help you! We offer several types of LASIK eye surgery including PRK, AK, CK, Cataracts surgery and more. We perform all these eye laser treatments with state of the art equipment. We are a leader in laser vision correction, and our goal is to help you achieve superior vision. Contact us today or view our website http://www.michiganlasik.com/  to schedule an appointment. 

Tips To Improve Healing Time after Cataract Surgery

Cataract surgery has to be one of the most amazing surgeries today, as it can completely restore lost eyesight after their removal. It’s important to look after your eyes after your visit with your cataract surgeon, to keep them healthy and avoid future cataracts. Here are a few tips to help improve healing time after cataract surgery.

Follow Instructions Post Surgery

1. Follow the instructions of your cataract surgeon. They’ll give you a booklet with quality information. They should go over this with you, but you may forget. Tuck that booklet into your purse or bag before you leave the clinic so you can refer to it again.

2. Wear protective eyewear. You may be given special sunglasses to protect your eyes from the light, or, one eye or both eyes may be covered with eye shields. Even after you can remove the bandages, you should still wore protective eyeglasses or goggles to protect your eyes from the harmful rays of the sun.

Have Someone To Drive You Home After Surgery

3. Have a designated driver. You should not be driving after your cataract surgery. You should also have someone there to pick you up, rather than taking public transit home. It can be overwhelming to be out in public, even though your cataract surgeon will do their best to make your experience as comfortable as possible.

4. Don’t panic if your vision is cloudy. Once you’re able to remove the eye shield or shields, your vision may still be cloudy. It may take some time for your vision to adjust to the removal of the cataract. If you’ve had an intraocular lens added, it may also take time to adjust. Follow the advice of your cataract surgeon and go back and see them if it hasn’t cleared in a timely manner.

5. Avoid heavy lifting or strenuous activities. Avoid these for at least the first three weeks. You should also avoid bending over. All these activities can place extra pressure on your eyes. Even sneezing or vomiting can cause problems with healing. If you think you’ll have any issues, ask your cataract surgeon if you can take antihistamines. And you can’t prevent getting a bad flu bug, but you should cancel your surgery if you are feeling unwell that day. Otherwise, you can ask if you can take anti-nausea medicine.

Try to Relax Inside Your Home

6. Stay seated at home. Avoid walking around as you may bump or walk into objects and hurt yourself. You also don’t want to be walking around outdoors, as that exposes your eyes to environmental pollutants.

7. Book a follow up appointment. It’s important to see your cataract surgeon for a checkup, so they can be happy that your eyes have 100% healed, and that your vision is now perfect.

Once your eyes have healed from cataract surgery you’ll be amazed at how clear and wonderful you can see again. With a bit of proper care and the advice of your cataract surgeon, you’ll have a lifetime of excellent eyesight to enjoy.

If you are looking to reduce or even get rid of your eye glasses and/or contacts let us at Rohr Eye & Laser Center help you! We offer several types of LASIK eye surgery including PRK, AK, CK, Cataracts surgery and more. We perform all these eye laser treatments with state of the art equipment. We are a leader in laser vision correction, and our goal is to help you achieve superior vision. Contact us today or view our website http://www.michiganlasik.com/  to schedule an appointment. 

Things to know Before Choosing a Cataract Surgeon

Selecting a surgeon to operate on your cataracts is a big decision that requires time and effort.  As with any surgeon it is important to research your option including the procedure and the surgeon performing it.  Our eyesight, without any doubt, is one the assets we are blessed with.  If there is a need to undergo cataract surgery, one shouldn’t just rely on just anyone.  Selecting the best cataract surgeon is vital if you want to undergo a risk-free surgery.
Considerations Prior To Cataract Surgery

• Don’t Rely Only on Your Insurance Companies Recommendations

For people who have insurance they most often rely on the doctors and surgeons suggest by their insurance company.  However, when it comes to a crucial surgery such as cataract surgery, it is important for the patients to do their research and find the best surgeon for their specific needs.  This is not to rule out that your insurance company is not offering a reliable option, but it is advised to evaluate several options before making a final decision on a surgeon.

• Seek Expert Advice

When looking to find the best cataract surgeon, it is important to seek expert advice. You can take suggestions from your regular physician or any friend/colleague who has recently undergone such a surgery. This will help you have numerous options at your disposal. Thus, selection will become an easier task.

• Do a Background Check

After finalizing a list of potential surgeons for your treatment, you must do a background check on them. Ensure that they are board certified. It is necessary for a surgeon to obtain such a certificate after passing both oral and written exams. Apart from board certification, you must also check whether they are licensed to perform surgery in your state or not. It is also important to know how many surgeries they have performed in the past.
Moreover, with a little research on the internet, you can also get to know about their education. If possible, check the rankings of the institute they have got their education from and got their training.

• Current Reviews and Patient’s Experience

You can use the internet to check for your selected cataract surgeon reviews. There are numerous platforms on the internet that can help you to find such information. If possible, ask for experiences of the patients who are treated by that surgeon.

• Schedule an In-Person Consultation

Last but not the least, you should meet your selected surgeon in person before taking the final decision. Discuss important matters related to this surgery with them. It will help to develop a sense of confidence in you. Trust factor will build up. Therefore, preparing yourself for the surgery will rather be an easy task.
After considering all the factors above, you will finally be able to take the decision that will be in your best interest. This will require some time, effort, and dedication on your part to find the best cataract surgeon; however, the result will definitely be valuable.

If you are looking to reduce or even get rid of your eye glasses and/or contacts let us at Rohr Eye & Laser Center help you! We offer several types of LASIK eye surgery including PRK, AK, CK, Cataracts surgery and more. We perform all these eye laser treatments with state of the art equipment. We are a leader in laser vision correction, and our goal is to help you achieve superior vision. Contact us today or view our website http://www.michiganlasik.com/cataract.php to schedule an appointment.  

Five Facts You Never Knew About Cataract Surgery

Many people have issues with their vision especially after crossing the bridge to forty.  One of the major eye issues that causes problems for the aging population is cataracts, a clouding of the natural lens of the eye. Medical reports reveal that around 22 million over 40 in America suffer from cataract and this population is growing day by day.

There are generally three types of cataracts including: subcapsular cataract, nuclear cataract, and cortical cataract. The best treatment available for cataracts is surgery. Whether you or someone around you is suffering from cataracts, it is important to collect insights about cataract surgery so that you can take a safe decision about this treatment.
Five Facts You Never Knew About Cataract Surgery:

1. It replaced natural eye lens with the artificial lens:

The great news for cataract patients is that surgery can restore your lost vision with ease. Note that, cataract symptoms occur when the proteins clump together in the eye area and it causes a cloud-like feeling in front of the eye lens. This process ultimately leads to loss of transparency for natural lens of the human eye. In such cases, cataract surgery helps to replace the natural lenses with artificial lenses so that person can enjoy normal vision once again.

2. Cataract surgeries are not painful anymore:

The traditional methods of vision surgeries were quite painful; but with the latest technology, cataract surgeries have become easier to execute. Most patients are observed to face a mild sensation around eyes during this surgery and it will be recovered soon. In few cases, Cataract Surgeon will administrate a tiny anesthetic block near eye area and reports reveal that patients find these surgeries less stressful.

3. Patients prefer surgeries when it is needed nowadays:

The current generation is aware of troubles associated with ignorance, so they prefer to undergo cataract surgery on time. There is no point to wait so long to have surgery; it will just make the situation worse, nothing else. The best idea is to get rid of all troubles as soon as possible.

4. You will be able to see things more clearly:

The most interesting fact to know is that after cataract surgery, you will be able to see things more clearly. As the recent technologies lead less stress and anxiety in patients about the surgery so they generally come out with more confidence, increased activity, and better vision.

5. Cataract surgery is not risk-free, but technology has made it safer:

It will be wrong to say that cataract surgeries are 100% safe; in actual, some risk is always involved; however, it ranges somewhere between 1 and 4%. The best idea is to have an open discussion with your eye surgeon; make a clear understanding of the ultimate impact and associated risks of cataract surgery. Medical health experts reveal that the latest technologies have made these surgical procedures quite easier. Now, patients need to spend only 15 to 20 minutes for surgery that is completed with a simple incision. A person can get back to home within two hours after the surgery.

If you are looking to reduce or even get rid of your eye glasses and/or contacts let us at Rohr Eye & Laser Center help you! We offer several types of LASIK eye surgery including PRK, AK, CK, Cataracts surgery and more. We perform all these eye laser treatments with state of the art equipment. We are a leader in laser vision correction, and our goal is to help you achieve superior vision. Contact us today or view our website http://www.michiganlasik.com/cataract.php  to schedule an appointment.