A cataract is the clouding of the eye’s naturally clear lens. The lens is part of the eye that helps focus
light on the retina. The retina is a light sensitive layer of tissue lining the inner surface of the eye. The
optics of the eye create an image of the visual world on the retina through the cornea and lens. The
clouding caused by a cataract reduces the sharpness of images reflected in the retina resulting in blurred
vision. Most cataracts are related to aging, usually starting at age 40. Cataracts are so common that by
age 80 more than half of all Americans either have a cataract or have already had cataract surgery.
Cataract Surgery is the most effective treatment for cataracts. The procedure requires removing the lens
of your eye and replacing it with an intraocular lens (IOL). The surgery itself takes approximately 15-30
seconds. The surgeon makes a small incision on or around the cornea, removes the cloudy lens then
inserts the new IOL into place. Due to advancement in technology, a new type of cataract surgery called
phacoemulsification does not require needles or stitches. With this technique clear vision is restored
almost immediately and the eye heals rapidly.