Health Talk - Cataracts #3

We'll discuss treatment options for cataracts.

Hi, i'm dr. dan bennett, an opthamologist on staff at baptist memorial hospital golden triangle.

Tonight, we'll discuss treatment options for cataracts.

The symptoms of early cataracts may be improved with new eyeglasses, brighter lighting, anti-glare sunglasses or magnifying lenses.

If these measures do not help, surgery is the only effective treatment.

Surgery involves removing the cloudy, natural lens of the eye and replacing it with an artificial lens.

A cataract needs to be removed only when vision loss interferes with your everyday activities such as driving, reading or watching television.

You and your eyecare professional can make an informed decision about whether cataract surgery is right for you.

In most cases, delaying cataract surgery will not cause any long term damage to your eye or make the surgery more difficult.

You do not have to rush into surgery.

Sometimes a cataract should be removed even if it does not cause problems with your vision.

A cataract should be removed if it prevents examination or treatment of another eye problem, such as age-related macular degeneration or diabetic retinopathy.

Cataract removal is one of the most common operations performed in the united states.

It is also one of the safest and most effective types of surgery.

In well over ninety percent of cases, people who have cataract surgery have better vision afterwards.

You can quickly return to many everyday activities.

It will take time to heal and to adjust so it can focus properly with the other eye, especially if the other eye has a cataract.

Join us next time for health talk with baptist.

Mail your topic suggestions to health talk at wcbi dot com.

Health talk has been brought to you by baptist memorial