Bob Puzio had no reason to think anything was wrong with his vision.
The Morris Township, New Jersey, retiree led an active lifestyle, traveling with family and pursuing his hobbies as a documenter and collector of craft brewing memorabilia. To him, the way he saw the world was no different from anyone else.
“One thing you find out is that you could be clueless that your vision is anything but normal,” Puzio said. “I could identify colors as white. They didn’t look dingy yellow to me, so I don’t know if my brain was compensating or not.”
“A Triple Whammy” Diagnosis
A cataract is a hazing of the eye lens that impedes passing light into the eye. At first, the cloudiness may affect only a small part of the lens, and you may be unaware that you are developing vision loss.
Dr. Eric Mann, an ophthalmologist with Ridgedale Surgery Center in Cedar Knolls, New Jersey, diagnosed Puzio with cataracts in both eyes and glaucoma during a comprehensive eye exam.
“If anything, I thought that my vision had been getting better as I aged,” Puzio said. “So that news was a triple whammy that I was not prepared to hear.”
Cataracts are the leading cause of vision loss among people older than 55. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, over half of all Americans will develop cataracts by age 75.
If not treated, cataracts may impair or cause complete loss of vision. At first, stronger eyeglass prescriptions can help deal with cataracts, but as Dr. Mann noted, many patients will reach a point where surgery becomes their best option.
“We can often tweak glasses to work around different changes in prescriptions, but at some point, glasses can’t be tweaked any further,” Dr. Mann said. “Robert had received steady changes to his prescription, but he was still presenting issues, and we couldn’t run the risk of waiting too long and there being complications.”
Patient Undergoes Cataract Surgery
Unlike other eye diseases like glaucoma, doctors can remove cataracts to restore eyesight. The operation includes removing the clouded lens and replacing it with an artificial one, called an intraocular lens (IOL). The construction of an IOL involves using silicone, acrylic or other plastic materials and frequently applying a protective coating against UV rays.
“Cataracts are a natural clouding and graying of that lens inside the eye,” Dr. Mann said. “Patients describe it as a fuzz or blur you’d normally fix by cleaning your eyeglasses. But it’s not glasses: it’s the lens inside your eye that’s turning gray, and we can go in and replace that with a man-made lens.”
In late 2023, Puzio underwent a glaucoma procedure at Ridgedale Surgery Center in Cedar Knolls. Two cataract surgeries — one in each eye — followed, performed by Dr. Mann in January and February 2024.
Puzio said the improvement to his vision was obvious in the weeks between his cataract procedures. Taking advantage of a snowfall that had blown through his area, he tested what his “new” right eye could see.
“Just for kicks, I put my hand to my right eye, and the snow looked like it was yellow straw colored through my left eye,” Puzio remarked. “I did the opposite and that same snow looked as bright as an LED light.
“Seeing the difference in my vision was a total ‘whoa’ moment.”
Now months removed from treatment, Puzio is back at his hobbies and enjoying spending time with his wife and children. Cataract surgery, he said, has changed the way he sees the world.
“When Dr. Mann told me that I needed surgery as soon as possible, I thought, ‘Why?’ But now, everything I see is sharper, brighter and clearer.
“I’m really seeing the world in a completely new light.”
Surgery Centers Benefit Patients
Cataract surgery is one of the safest, most common and most effective surgical procedures performed in the United States, according to the U.S. National Eye Institute. This outpatient surgery only takes a few hours from the time you arrive at the center until you go home, allowing you to return to your life. The surgery itself takes less than 30 minutes.
Dr. Mann said the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) setting is ideal for cataract procedures, as ASCs offer patients a more comfortable environment, shorter wait times and a decreased ratio of patients to nurses that leads to more personalized care.
“One of the strengths of an ASC setting is that each patient is treated as an individual,” he said. “Our staff is with you every step of the way, from registration and pre-op to the procedure and then post-op and out the door. We even walk you outside of the recovery room and to your transportation.”
Puzio valued the personalized care he received at Ridgedale Surgery Center. Dr. Mann and his staff treated Puzio with care and compassion at each step of the process, easing his hesitation to undergo surgery after an eye injury in his youth.
“When people would get close to my eyes, I would spasm — I just couldn’t control it,” he said. “But everyone I encountered was empathetic and professional. The worst pain I felt was when I got the IV; it was easier than going to the dentist.”
Schedule Your Comprehensive Eye Exam
Cataracts are the leading cause of vision loss in the U.S., affecting more than 24 million Americans. Symptoms may include the following:
- Cloudy or blurred vision
- Difficulty seeing at night
- Lamps and headlights seem too glaring and bright
- Seeing halos around lights
All adults older than 40 should get a complete eye exam with dilation. Make an appointment with an ophthalmologist to evaluate your eye health and screen for cataracts. Your doctor will also give you a visual acuity test, look for refractive errors and screen you for common eye conditions and vision problems.
Find an Ophthalmologist Near You
Are you looking for a board-certified ophthalmologist? Our eye care centers are located across the country and are accepting new patients. Healthy vision is a precious gift that requires regular maintenance!