Effective Ophthalmology for Cataract Symptoms
For centuries, cataracts had disastrous effects, often leading to total blindness. Today, the condition is one of the most easily treatable vision problems. Cataracts cause a wide range of symptoms. The most noticeable is blurred vision. At our ophthalmology clinic, Dr. Parks can remove cataracts and completely eliminate your symptoms. A quick, minimally invasive surgery can prevent damaged vision and even restore lost sight. If you have experienced the symptoms of cataracts, we encourage you to contact our office. However, even if your vision is drastically compromised, cataracts do not affect the overall structure of your eye. Therefore, Dr. Parks can treat even the most severe cases. To learn more about cataract symptoms, contact our Beverly Hill practice today.
What Are Cataracts?
Your eye contains a natural lens situated behind your iris. This lens is responsible for refracting light so that it focuses on your retina at the back of your eye. Cataracts are groups of protein cells that obscure this lens. When they develop, light does not have a clear path. Instead of focusing on a fixed point, it is scattered throughout your eye. Therefore, your optic nerve cannot transmit a clear signal, and your brain registers a blurred image.
In some cases, cataracts can be present at birth, but in most cases, they are an age-related condition. Your lens is made of protein and water. As you get older, the cells will start to break down, causing the protein to drift into clusters.
Common Cataract Symptoms
There are several types of cataracts, which will determine your particular symptoms.
- If you have nuclear cataracts in the center of your retina, you may experience blurred vision and problems differentiating between colors. Interestingly, with these cataracts, your vision may actually improve before you notice the telltale cloudy vision.
- Posterior subcapsular cataracts are located in the back of the lens. These cataracts can cause difficulties with reading, glare and halos at night, and problems seeing clearly in bright light.
- Glare is the most common symptom of cortical cataracts, located at the edges of your lenses.
Treating the Underlying Cause of Your Symptoms
If you are experiencing the symptoms of cataracts, Dr. Parks will first conduct a complete exam to ensure that cataracts are indeed the problem. The condition is easy to detect. Many times, an ophthalmologist can actually see cataracts with the naked eye. Once he has diagnosed your condition, Dr. Parks can remove the obscured lens, replacing it with an artificial intraocular lens (IOL). This brief surgery is safe and has a near-perfect success rate. Once the damaged lens is gone, you should enjoy clear vision.
Cataract symptoms can be alarming, particularly if your vision is severely compromised. Nevertheless, the condition affects your lenses only. The rest of your eye is still healthy and fully functional, so there is no immediate need for cataract surgery. If your symptoms have compromised your daily tasks and quality of life, you may benefit from the procedure.
Improve Your Vision Today
Contact Pacific Retina Specialists today if you are experiencing cataract symptoms. Dr. Parks will provide a complete diagnosis and determine if surgery is in your best interests.
