How to Treat Cataracts

If you have cataracts you may be wondering about your treatment options.

Whenever we look at an object, light travels through our eyes where it is then focused through the lens and onto the retina; however, if you have cataracts the lens in your eye becomes cloudy, which often results in blurry or cloudy vision. Cataracts may appear in one eye or both. Cataracts usually progress slowly, so people won’t typically notice symptoms right away. If you have cataracts, our El Paso, TX ophthalmologist, Dr. Dennis Reiter, explains the best course of treatment.

What causes cataracts?

Protein buildup on the lens of the eye is responsible for this blurry vision problem. Typically, cataracts occur in people over the age of 60; however, cataracts can be congenital (due to an infection or injury while in the womb), the result of trauma to the eye, caused by other health conditions, like diabetes, or a result of taking certain medications, like corticosteroids.

Heavy alcohol consumption, environmental pollution and cigarette smoke can also increase your chances of developing cataracts.

How are cataracts treated?

If your El Paso eye doctor has determined that you have cataracts, the next step is to determine the right treatment plan for you. If cataracts are caught during the early stages then we can often improve your symptoms with corrective lenses or glasses.

If the cataracts are affecting your daily life and making it difficult to read then the best option will most likely be surgery to remove the cloudy lens and replace it with an artificial one. We will sit down with you and discuss the pros and cons to cataract surgery to make sure that this is the right choice for you.

In some cases, surgery is the best option even if the cataracts aren’t affecting your vision. Why? If you have another eye problem, like macular degeneration, having cataracts may make it more difficult to properly examine and manage your other eye problems. By removing the cataracts we can better control and treat other conditions.

If you have questions about treating your cataracts in El Paso, TX then Visione 360 Eye & Cosmetic Institute has the answers. Pick up the phone today and give us a call. We are here to help make your vision clear and bright again!