A cataract is a cloudy area in the lens of the eye. A normal lens is clear. It lets light pass to the back of the eye. A cataract blocks some of the light. As a cataract develops, it becomes harder for a person to see.

Cataracts are a normal part of aging. About half of Americans ages 65 to 74 have cataracts. About 70 percent of those age 75 and over have this condition.

Most people with cataracts have a cataract in both eyes. However, one eye may be worse than the other because each cataract develops at a different rate.

Some people with cataract don't even know it. Their cataract may be small, or the changes in their vision may not bother them very much. Other people who have cataracts cannot see well enough to do the things they need or want to do.

What Are the Symptoms of a Cataract?

Here are some signs of a cataract:

• Cloudy, fuzzy, foggy, or filmy vision.                                   
• Changes in the way you see colors.
• Problems driving at night because headlights seem too bright.
• Problems with glare from lamps or the sun.
• Frequent changes in your eyeglass prescription.
• Double vision.
• Better near vision for a while only in farsighted people.

These symptoms also can be signs of other eye problems.

How is a Cataract Diagnosed?

A regular eye exam is all that is needed to find a cataract. Dr. Lum will ask you to read a letter chart to see how sharp your sight is. You probably will get eye drops to enlarge your pupils (the round black centers of your eyes). This helps him to see the inside of your eyes. He will use a bright light to see whether your lenses are clear and to check for other problems in the back of your eyes.

Other eye tests may also be used occasionally to show how poorly you see with a cataract or how well you might see after surgery:

• Glare test.
• Potential vision test.

How is a Cataract Treated?

A change in your glasses, stronger bifocals, or the use of magnifying lenses may help improve your vision and be treatment enough. The way to surgically treat a cataract is to remove all or part of the lens and replace it with an artificial lens.

Just because you have a cataract does not mean it must be removed immediately. Cataract surgery can almost always be put off until you are unhappy with the way you see. Dr. Lum will infrom you if you are a candidate for surgery.

How Do I Decide Whether To Have Surgery?

Most people have plenty of time to decide about cataract surgery. Dr Lum cannot make your decision for you, but talking with him can help you decide.

Tell him how your cataract affects your vision and your life. Decide which statements below that apply to you and share this list with Dr. Lum:

I need to drive, but there is too much glare from the sun or headlights.

• I do not see well enough to do my best at work.
• I do not see well enough to do the things I need to do at home.
• I do not see well enough to do things I like to do (for example, read, watch TV, sew, hike, play cards, go out with friends.
• I am afraid I will bump into something or fall.
• Because of my cataract, I am not as independent as I would like to be.
• My glasses do not help me see well enough.
• My eyesight bothers me alot.

You may also have other specific problems that you want to discuss with Dr. Lum.

What Should I Know About Surgery?

Dr. Lum will discuss the options with you before choosing the best kind of cataract removal and lens replacement for you. He will also explain how to prepare for surgery and how to take care of yourself after it is over.

Surgery is performed on an outpatient basis in at the Pacific Surgery Center in Ventura. The surgery itself will usually take less thanten minutes, but plan on spending 1 to1-1/2hours altogether at the center. You will need a friend or family member to take you home.

It takes about a month for an eye to heal after cataract surgery. However, the eye will be 90% healed within the first few days of surgery. Dr. Lum will monitor your progress and make sure you have the care you need until your eye recovers fully.

Removing the Lens

Dr. Lum uses a technique called "Phacoemulsification"  (pronounced FAY-co-ee-mul-sih-fih-CAY-shun). In this type of surgery, he softens the lens with ultrasonic sound waves and removes it through a hollow instrument. The back half of the lens capsule is left behind. The total time for the procedure is usually less than ten minutes. No patches or needles are used, and most patients are seeing better within minutes after their surgery.

Replacing the Lens

A person who has cataract surgery usually gets an artificial lens at the same time. A plastic disc, called an intraocular lens, is placed in the lens capsule inside the eye.

A cataract cannot return because all or part of the lens has been removed. However, in about half of all people who have extracapsular surgery or phacoemulsification, the lens capsule becomes cloudy. This cloudiness of the lens capsule, if it occurs, usually develops a year or more after surgery. It causes the same vision problems as a cataract does.

The treatment for this condition is a procedure called YAG capsulotomy. Dr. Lum will use a laser (light) beam to make a tiny hole in the capsule to let light pass. This surgery is painless and does not require a hospital stay.

Most people see better after YAG capsulotomy, but, as with cataract surgery, complications can occur. There is small (less than 0.5%) risk of retinal detachment.

Is Cataract Surgery Right for Me?

Most people who have a cataract recover from surgery with no problems and improved vision. In fact, serious complications are not common with modern cataract surgery. This type of surgery has a success rate of 95 percent in patients with otherwise healthy eyes across the country. Dr. Lum has a success rate of over 99%. But no surgery is risk free. Although serious complications are not common, when they occur they could result in loss of vision.

If you have a cataract in both eyes, Dr. Lum will wait until your first eye heals before having surgery on the second eye. This may be as soon as one week after the first eye's surgery is performed.

You will be able to make the right decision for yourself if you know the facts. Ask  Dr. Lum to explain anything you do not understand. There is no such thing as a "dumb" question when it comes to your health.

Here are some questions you might ask:

• Do I need surgery right away?
• If not, how long can I wait?
• What are my personal risks?
• What benefits can I expect?
• If I choose surgery, which type is best for me?
• Which lens replacement is best for me?
• What are the chances of developing cloudiness in the lens capsule after cataract surgery?
• What are the benefits and risks of YAG capsulotomy?

You may wish to write down other questions to ask Dr. Lum to help you make an informed decision about treatment.

Benefits and Risks of Cataract Surgery

Improvements in Activities

• Everyday activities
• Driving
• Reading
• Working
• Moving around
• Social activities
• Hobbies
• Safety
• Self-confidence
• Independence

Possible Complications

• High pressure in the eye
• Blood collection inside the eye
• Infection inside the eye
• Artificial lens damage or dislocation
• Drooping eyelid
• Retinal detachment
• Severe bleeding inside the eye
• Swelling or clouding of the cornea
• Blindness
• Loss of the eye

For Further Information