Cataract Awareness Month

August is cataract awareness month so now is an excellent time to start getting educated about this common condition which could be affecting you or a loved one. Cataracts are a leading source of decreased vision in older adults, and according to the World Health Organization, approximately one in every six Americans, age 40 or older, are affected by them.

Cataracts cause a clouding of the lens inside the eye and blurred vision. They develop with age, as the eye’s lens thickens and loses both flexibility and transparency. Cataracts are a natural part of aging, but can also occur earlier in life due to eye injuries, specific medications, and certain diseases. Surgery is the only way to treat the condition: there are no glasses, drops or medications that will cure cataracts.

The most advanced form of surgery is micro-incision cataract surgery which utilizes ultrasonic technology. During this procedure the cataract is broken up with ultrasound technology and then removed through a micro-surgical incision. It is then replaced with a permanent artificial lens implant or intraocular lens (IOL). There are different types of IOLs; including single focus and multi focus lenses (also known as premium or lifestyle IOLs). The single focus lens corrects patients’ distance vision but they will still need reading glasses to see up close. In contrast, multi-focus lenses give patients a range of vision to see near, far and in between, without the aid of glasses for most of their daily tasks.

Generally, if someone has a cataract that is restricting their vision and they are in good health, they will be an excellent candidate for micro-incision cataract surgery. A surgeon’s extensive training and experience reduces the probability of risks. At the Nielsen Eye Center, South of Boston, MA, micro-incision cataract surgery is performed by Steven A. Nielsen, MD. He is a board certified ophthalmologist who had performed over 20,000 refractive surgeries, and is the most experienced multi focus lens implanter north of New York. His cataract procedures are done on an outpatient basis and usually take about five minutes. The majority of his patients are able to drive the next day.

Call 877-373-2020 or visit http://www.golasik.net/ to find out more about cataract surgery.