Cataract Myths vs Facts Quiz

Cataract surgery can remove cataracts as soon as they start to affect your vision.

In the past in order to have a cataract removed, the cataract needed to be in advanced stages of development. Now, cataract surgery can remove cataracts as soon as they start to affect your vision.

There have been dramatic improvements in cataract surgery in recent years, due to advances in phacoemulsification and intraocular lenses (IOLS).

Cataract surgery has advanced over the years, offering more than one way to remove cataracts. Small incision cataract surgery with phacoemulsification is the most commonly used cataract surgery procedure. During this procedure, a small incision is made on the side of the cornea, and then the surgeon inserts a tiny probe into the eye. This device emits ultrasound waves that soften and break up the lens so that it can be removed by suction. Laser-assisted cataract surgery is another way to remove cataracts. Laser-assisted cataract surgery uses a femtosecond laser to make accurate and precise incisions, replacing the use of handmade incisions. The laser performs the incisions with pre-set specifications and then softens the cataract and breaks the lens into small pieces. The surgeon then removes the deteriorated lens and implants the IOL.

Cataracts can affect anyone at any age.

While cataracts are most common among people over 65 years of age, cataracts can affect anyone at any age. In fact, over 4 million Americans under the age of 60 have cataracts.

Many people notice a change in their vision soon after surgery.

Many people notice a change in their vision soon after surgery. Patients are able to resume normal activities a day or two after surgery.

Cataracts do not spread.

Cataracts can develop in one eye or both, but they do not spread from one eye to the other.

While cataracts can be removed through cataract surgery, they cannot be reversed.

The clouding of lens is a natural part of the aging process, and while cataracts can be removed through cataract surgery, they cannot be reversed. You can, however, make lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking and wearing sunglasses or wide-brimmed hats to avoid harmful UV rays, to slow the development of cataracts.

Never rely on a simple "vision check" as a substitute for a regulary scheduled, comprehensive eye exam.

While getting your eyes checked is important, an eye screening or a vision check is not enough when it comes to detecting eye diseases that can cause vision loss. A comprehensive eye exam can correct early vision problems, diagnose cataracts and other eye diseases and detect general health problems.

The following tests are an example of tests only performed during a comprehensive eye exam.

• Visual acuity test to measure vision at various distances
• Dilated eye exam
• Tonometry test to measure pressure inside your eye

Comprehensive eye exams are recommended every two years if you are age 40 or older.

Cataract Surgery can also help improve one's lifestyle, which in turn can also better their overall health.

Cataract surgery not only improves patient’s vision, but it also improves one’s lifestyle, which in turn can also better one’s overall health. With better vision from removed cataracts, one can reduce the risk of hip fracture and improve driving performance. Treating cataracts can help patients maintain your independence and active lifestyle.

Changes in vision during the early stages of cataracts are so minimal, you more than likely won't notice them.

While there are symptoms that indicate the development of cataracts, such as cloudy vision, difficulty seeing at night or while driving, seeing “halos” around lights, people do not notice these symptoms until the cataract is more advanced. A cataract develops gradually over time. In early stages, you may be unaware of any changes in vision. The change is so gradual, that it may be hard to remember what clear vision is like.

New intraocular lens (IOLs) have been introduced that solve more vision problems than ever before.

Advanced technology lenses can improve your vision up close, far away and in the middle. The common types of IOLs are traditional monofocal IOLs, multifocal IOLs, toric IOLs, and accommodative IOLs. Learn more about the different types of IOLS and how they could affect your vision. Before making a recommendation for you, your surgeon will consider the results of comprehensive eye testing. When you and your doctor are considering which type of IOL is right for your visual needs and your lifestyle, there are several factors to consider.