5 Reasons Cataract Surgery Means Having a New Outlook on Life
June 22, 2023
Do you have advanced cataracts? Are you finding getting around your home challenging or more difficult to do things you once loved?
Advanced cataracts make it very difficult to see. When you can't see well, it impacts your quality of life.
Cataracts are a prevalent eye condition that affects nearly half of all adults by age 75. But the good news is that if you have cataracts, you can treat them.
Cataract surgery can completely restore all vision loss from cataracts. The procedure is more advanced than ever, with incredible long-term outcomes thanks to premium IOLs.
Having cataract surgery can give you your life and independence back. If you've felt like your impaired vision is holding you back from living your life, it doesn't have to anymore. Keep reading to discover 5 reasons why having cataract surgery means having a new outlook on life!
What are Cataracts?
Cataracts are proteins that build up and form on your eye's natural lens. This lens, which is normally clear, can become cloudy, usually due to aging.
The cloudiness that develops is called a cataract. You can also develop cataracts if you have eye trauma from an injury or diabetes.
You can even be born with congenital cataracts. But for most people, cataracts develop as a result of aging and getting older. If you're 40 or older, this increases your chances of developing cataracts.
Cataracts make it harder to see through your natural lens, causing various symptoms. These symptoms include blurry vision, poor night vision, glare, halos, light sensitivity, and colors appearing muddier than they should, among others.
These symptoms may not appear until your cataracts become advanced, which can take years as they develop very slowly. But it's time to consider cataract surgery once they interfere with your vision and ability to complete simple, everyday tasks.
What is Cataract Surgery?
Cataract surgery is the only way to treat cataracts. You can try other ways to treat cataracts, like using more light or changing your prescription, but these are temporary measures at best.
Eventually, most people with cataracts will need cataract surgery. The procedure is minimally invasive and removes your cataracts and your natural lens where the cataract has formed.
When you remove the natural lens, you'll have it replaced with an artificial lens called an intraocular lens or IOL. After removing your natural lens, the intraocular lens takes over the job that the natural lens can no longer complete, allowing you to see clearly.
There are many different kinds of IOLs. The most basic IOL is a monofocal intraocular lens. Another option is premium IOLs which allow you to see clearly at multiple distances.
These premium lenses can even reduce or eliminate your dependence on reading glasses and other visual aids. If you choose a premium IOL when you have cataract surgery, you may end up with better vision than before having cataracts!
But regardless of what kind of IOL you get, cataract surgery can restore your vision and your way of life. Here are just five reasons why cataract surgery can change your outlook on life:
1. Regain Your Independence
It's hard to do things independently without assistance when you can't see well because of your cataracts. Simple tasks like cleaning and cooking become troublesome.
You may feel entirely dependent on your friends and family if you have advanced cataracts. But after cataract surgery, you can do things for yourself again. With your cataracts removed, you can see clearly and regain your independence.
2. Feel Safe in Your Own Home
Being dependent on others can feel bad, but feeling unsafe because of poor vision is arguably worse. Maybe you've even tripped or run into furniture in your house because you couldn't see where you were going.
It can be challenging to get up and go to the bathroom in the middle of the night when you can hardly see without bright light. Injuries are bound to happen if you aren't extremely careful.
After you have cataract surgery, though, you can feel safe again. You'll be able to see well enough that you don't have to worry about having an accident!
3. Drive with Confidence
Cataracts can make it far more problematic to drive, especially at night. Between poor night vision and glare from headlights and street lamps, navigating a car safely can feel downright impossible.
But once you have cataract surgery, you'll be able to see well enough to drive again. You can drive anytime, so you won't feel restricted when it's dark out.
You'll no longer need to rely on a friend or family member to get you where you need to go. Instead, you can go where you want without worrying about bothersome halos or glare.
4. Get Out of the House
Being unable to drive after dark and having impaired vision causes some to self-isolate. You may feel like it's too difficult to go out or be too embarrassed over your poor eyesight.
While you certainly don't need to feel shame for an eye condition that isn't your fault, it can still be hard not to feel self-conscious about your vision. You can regain your self-esteem and motivate yourself to get out more after cataract surgery! You'll be able to see again, so you can go out and be active and social without worrying about your vision.
5. Do the Things You Love Again
Everything is more difficult when you have cataracts, from reading to exercising to crafting to going out on the town. But once you have cataract surgery, you can do it all again!
Get back to the activities and hobbies you love. You can regain so much simple joy by being able to see again and maybe even see better than you could in years!
If you're ready to regain your sight, take the first step by scheduling a consultation at Maryland Eye Associates in Prince Frederick, MD, today!