The eyes of many people who are over 40 start to show signs of aging, such as cataracts. Each eye has a lens that sits behind the pupil, focuses light on the retina and sends it to the brain. Cataracts start when the lens’ clear protein and water start breaking down and make the lens cloudy. Objects appear fuzzy or less vivid. Luckily, however, a common surgery that implants an intraocular lens (IOL) can correct the symptoms of cataracts.
At the office of The Retina Partners, our ophthalmologists and support staff aim to provide all of our patients with the utmost care and best medical treatments. If you’re having any difficulties with your vision or suspect that you may have cataracts, we can help improve your quality of life by correcting or ameliorating them.
The IOL, which is smaller than half of a dime and made of clear plastic, replaces the cloudy lens. After numbing your eye and giving you a sedative, the ophthalmologist breaks the lens into pieces and sucks them out via a tiny cut in your cornea. The IOL is put in place, and the tiny cut heals by itself without stitches.
There are four main types of IOLs. Your ophthalmologist will decide which lens is best for you.
The monofocal is the most common. Whereas your natural lens can stretch or bend to help your eye focus, the monofocal stays focused at one fixed distance. If yours focuses at a distance, you might need reading glasses.
The multifocal has areas that help you see things at different distances, just like eyeglasses with bifocal or progressive lenses,
The accommodating acts more like your natural lens and focuses at more than one distance; you’re less likely to need reading glasses.
Torics are for people with an astigmatism or if their cornea is more oval than round.
The health of your eyes is as important to us at The Retina Partners as it is to you. Good vision is crucial for innumerable reasons, and it’s especially important to monitor your eye health as your reach middle age. Please call today to schedule an examination with one of our ophthalmologists!
