Cataract Treatment Serving Los Angeles

Cataracts – Los Angeles

Clear vision requires a clear, transparent lens on your eye, so it can focus light onto the retina. Over time, the lens can naturally lose some of this transparency and become cloudy. This cloudiness on the lens is a cataract. When one of these develops, light passes through a cloudy lens before reaching the retina, so the eye cannot see clearly. This is why blurred vision is a common symptom of cataracts.

Symptoms

Cataracts progress slowly, but given enough time, vision loss and other symptoms will gradually develop. In the beginning stages, cataract symptoms are mild. With time, however, cataracts can cause blurred vision, headlight glare, double vision, halos around lights, and problems seeing while driving at night. In addition, some people with cataracts will notice that they need a brighter light to read, even with reading glasses. If you’ve noticed any of these symptoms, it is likely time to get an eye exam. Our vision center in Los Angeles offers eye exams and care for people with cataracts. If you need cataract surgery, we also have several options for intraocular replacement lenses.

Causes and Risk Factors

Cataracts can naturally occur as the lens and eye age, but there are some factors that increase your risk of developing them. Too much sun or ultraviolet exposure quickens the formation of cataracts, and cigarette smoking also raises the risk. If you take certain medications, have had eye trauma, or if you have diabetes or other illnesses, you may also be at increased risk for cataracts. If you’re in need of eye exams or care for cataracts in the Los Angeles area visit SoCal Vision Center today!

How Are Cataracts Detected?

Cataracts can easily be detected during a complete eye exam at our Los Angeles vision center. If you do have cataracts, sometimes changing your glasses can improve your vision. To treat more severe cataracts, however, surgery is often necessary to remove the lens that has become clouded and replace it with a transparent, artificial lens.

What is cataract surgery?

Thankfully, modern techniques and technology make cataract surgery today a very safe and effective process. The surgery begins with an incision that measures only a few millimeters. Then, a small instrument is inserted through this tiny opening that breaks the cataract into little pieces. With this process, patients end up with a faster recovery time, aren’t as dependent on glasses, and have a lower risk of post-surgery infection. The surgery doesn’t even require any stitches. Our vision center in Los Angeles offers eye exams and care to help you decide whether cataract surgery is necessary for you.

Lens options: What type of lenses should you opt for in cataract surgery?

During cataract surgery, you are getting your cloudy eye lens removed and having it replaced by a clear, artificial implant. Today’s cataract surgery patients have two options for implants—a monofocal lens that only allows you to see at one distance, or a multifocal lens (also called a premium lens) that allows near, far, and intermediate vision. During your cataract examination and consultation, we’ll help you determine which type of lens would work best for you. We offer a few different lenses to choose from, including the PanOptix lens, the Acrysof Restor, and the Tecnis Multifocal IOL. With these multifocal lenses, you get to choose what type of vision you want after cataract removal.

Contact Socal Vision Center

If you have any questions about our eye exams or cataract care in Los Angeles, call our office at 818-409-1777. If necessary, we’re happy to help you schedule your cataract surgery consultation.