your Eye M.D. (ophthalmologist) wants you to know that you don’t have to live with cataracts. Talk to your Eye M.D. about your options and consider the following facts regarding cataracts:
Cataracts are very common — one in every seven persons in the United States has a cataract.
A cataract is a clouding of the normal clear lens of the eye, which prevents light from passing through to focus properly on the retina.
Cataracts are a significant cause of blindness in some parts of the world, but fortunately for Americans, technological advances and the availability of new procedures mean they can save their sight.
New advances and techniques have made cataract surgery one of the most successful and life-improving surgical procedures.
Cataract surgery is the most frequently performed surgical procedure in the United States, with more than 1.5 million people having cataract surgery each year.
Cataract surgery is usually covered by medical insurances, including Medicare.
The most common type of cataract surgery performed in the United States is phacoemulsification.
Lasers are not currently used to remove cataracts. They are sometimes used after cataract surgery to treat a related condition.
There is no proven medical treatment available to prevent the formation or progression of cataracts. And there are no medications, eye drops, exercises or glasses that will make a cataract disappear.
Although it is very safe and effective, cataract surgery is surgery and you need to consider carefully if it is right for you. Sometimes, a cataract may not affect your vision significantly enough to need surgery.
Contrary to popular myth, a cataract does not have to be “ripe” before it is removed. You should consider having surgery if cataracts make it hard for you to see well enough to do the things you enjoy. Talk to your Eye M.D. if cataracts are interfering with your lifestyle.
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