Cataracts Are Not One Size Fits All

Almost everyone has heard of cataracts. If we grew up around our grandparents, we may have seen them wearing large, dark glasses and eventually learned this was because they had just undergone eye surgery to have these things called cataracts removed. What many people do not know is that there are different kinds of cataracts that can form on our eyes as we age.

The most common cataract type that seems to be a direct result of aging is called nuclear cataracts. The name is not as ominous as it sounds and simply means the central part of the eye lens is infected with cataracts. When the eye’s lens cortex is more affected by this ailment, it is called cortical cataracts. And, when the opacity that comes with cataracts is found by the lens capsule, it is called subcapsular cataracts. Subcapsular cataracts do not develop as gradually as nuclear and cortical cataracts and can actually appear quite rapidly. This is when cataract surgery in San Diego is most necessary.

All of the above types of cataracts are a result of natural eye aging and can be treated with San Diego cataract surgery. However, there is another type of cataracts that people are born with. This type is called congenital or infantile cataracts and requires immediate attention so that they eye and vision can develop naturally and healthily.

The types of cataracts that come on more gradually do not always need treatment right away. They may not even be noticeable at first. Even when the cataracts are diagnosed, some people decide they can live with the condition. However, for many the cataracts grow worse, as does their quality of life. They may not be able to drive anymore, their poor and cloudy vision can interfere with their work as well as their own personal enjoyment, like movies, reading and television. At this point, San Diego cataract eye surgery is the best way to go. Your eye surgeon will use ultrasound technology to break up the infected lens and then suction the small pieces out. And artificial lens free of cataracts will be put in its place and within weeks, your vision will become much clearer. If you had worn glasses in the past, you will eventually need to be fitted for a new prescription, but the cloudy sights before you will be gone. The decision to have cataract surgery is not always an easy one, but it is much more palatable when you understand both the disease and the procedure.