Understanding Cataracts
The lens inside your eye is normally clear. Over time, proteins in the lens break down and clump together, making it cloudy or yellowed — like looking through a frosted window. Most people develop some cataract after age 60. Diabetes, smoking, long-term steroid use, prior eye injury, and heavy sun exposure can make cataracts appear earlier.
A cataract is not a film over the eye, it is not caused by overusing your eyes, and it does not spread from one eye to the other. It is one of the most treatable causes of vision loss.
Common symptoms
- Blurry, cloudy, or dim vision
- Glare and halos around lights, especially while driving at night
- Colors that look faded or yellowed
- Frequent changes in your glasses prescription
- Double vision in one eye
How Dr. Nicola can help
- Early cataracts can often be managed with an updated glasses prescription and better lighting.
- When a cataract limits your ability to drive, read, or work, cataract surgery replaces the cloudy lens with a clear artificial lens implant (IOL). It is typically an outpatient procedure with a quick recovery.
- Dr. Nicola measures your eye to plan the right lens implant and explains lens options, including ones that can reduce dependence on glasses.
- If the membrane behind the implant becomes cloudy months or years later (a “secondary cataract”), a quick in-office laser treatment restores clear vision.
Frequently asked questions
When is the right time for cataract surgery?
When the cataract is keeping you from doing things you need or want to do — driving at night, reading, working — and new glasses no longer help. There is usually no benefit to waiting until a cataract is “ripe.”
What should I tell my doctor before cataract surgery?
Tell Dr. Nicola if you have ever taken alpha-blocker medications such as Flomax (tamsulosin), which can affect the pupil during surgery, and if you have had LASIK or other refractive surgery, since that changes how the lens implant is calculated.
Does Medicare cover cataract surgery?
Yes. Medicare and most insurance plans cover medically necessary cataract surgery with a standard lens implant. Premium lenses that reduce the need for glasses may involve an additional out-of-pocket cost.
This page is general patient education and is not a substitute for an examination. If you have a question about your own eyes, please call our office.