The eye’s lens is mostly made up of water and protein, but as we age, some of that protein can clump up and form a cloudy area over the lens, obstructing your vision. As many as half our population has cataracts by age 60. Cataracts usually develop slowly and are painless, though the symptoms are troubling, ultimately leading to blindness if not removed. Symptoms include:
- Blurred, foggy or cloudy vision; a sense of film over your eyes
- Blues and greens seem faded
- Difficulty reading small print
- Double vision
- Seeing halos around lights at night
The exact cause of cataracts is unknown, but in adults, it’s usually due to aging, exposure to sunlight; and could also be caused by smoking, improper nutrition, systemic diseases, injury to the eye or certain medications. There is no known treatment to reverse cataracts, but some studies suggest that Vitamin C may delay the progression of cataracts.
Poor vision is not an inevitable part of aging. New techniques in treating cataracts now allow removal as soon as they interfere with your activities. Cataract surgery is simple and relatively painless. With so many people affected, especially in sunny climates, cataract removal is the most frequently performed surgery in the U.S. And in the hands of a skilled and experienced surgeon like Dr. Jenkins, cataract surgery is safe and highly successful. In fact, nine out of ten patients who have cataract surgery regain between 20/20 and 20/40 vision.
Dr. Jenkins and her staff are proud to offer their Honolulu patients the best in Cataract care. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff is here for any questions or concerns you may have about cataracts. Call today (855) 522-2020.
Cataract surgery is the most common – and most successful – surgery performed in the U.S. Furthermore, it’s relatively painless and can be done on an out-patient basis. At Jenkins Eye Care we have a special location Surgical Suites which is solely dedicated to our eye surgery patients.
A cataract is an eye condition that produces cloudy vision in patients in their 50s, 60s, and older. Cataracts form on the lens of the eye as we age because the protein in the lens begins to clump together, resulting in cloudy patches of vision. As the cataract grows, vision worsens. Cataract treatment options can improve patients’ quality of life.
Once you develop a cataract, clear vision can be yours again with a simple surgery. Small incision cataract surgery replaces your natural lens with an artificial lens, called an intraocular lens implant (IOL). Ninety-eight percent of patients experience improved vision with this procedure.
We perform the latest “no-stitch, topical” cataract surgery, called phacoemulsification. For this procedure, a small incision is made in the affected lens so that a tiny ultrasonic probe can be inserted to break up the cataract. The same probe easily removes the broken pieces of cataract protein, and an artificial lens (IOL) is then inserted to replace the clouded lens. The incision is self-sealing when the probe is removed.
We offer several different types of implants, and you can take our IOL Questionnaire and view IOL Choices to decide which type of implant is best for you.
If you have other questions, or would like to have a Cataract Surgery consultation, please contact Jenkins Eye Care at (855) 522-2020.
