How Do You Know If You Have a Cataract?

Cataracts are part of the aging process, but how do you know if you have one? The highly skilled eye doctors at Elmquist Eye Group use state-of-the-art technology to diagnose cataracts and provide you with exceptional care.

How Do You Know If You Have a Cataract?Cataract Symptoms

It’s quite possible that you may not even realize you have a cataract because they usually develop slowly. It may take many years to notice the changes in your vision, but the symptoms include:

  • Cloudy or blurry vision
  • Difficulty reading
  • Poor night vision
  • Sensitivity to light, glare, and halos around lights
  • Colors look faded or yellowed
  • Double vision in one eye
  • Frequent changes in glasses or contacts prescriptions

The first evidence of cataracts is usually discovered during an examination. Your eye doctor will dilate your pupils to thoroughly examine your eyes. He or she will also do a few extra tests, such as visual acuity and glare testing, to determine the severity of the cataract.

If cataracts are beginning to form, it’s important to make sure your glasses or contact lenses are strong enough to compensate for your impaired vision. As your cataracts develop further, you can discuss with Dr. Rodriguez whether surgery would be beneficial.

How Are Cataracts Treated?

Cataracts worsen slowly over time, but you may eventually decide to have cataract surgery to correct the problem. The cataract, or cloudy lens of the eye, is replaced with an artificial plastic lens, called an intraocular lens or “IOL.”

Cataract surgery is one of the safest surgeries performed in the U.S. today, with a success rate that exceeds 95%.  The procedure is quick, most patients experience little or no discomfort, and clear vision is usually restored within a few days.

Elmquist Eye Group is pleased to offer refractive laser-assisted cataract surgery, a procedure that is designed to make the treatment more precise, safer and more accurate.  Of course, there are risks with any type of surgery, and they should be discussed with Dr. Rodriguez before surgery.

If you believe you may have a cataract, get in touch with Elmquist Eye Group at (239) 936-2020 to learn more about your many options. We will examine your eyes and discuss how the latest cataract treatments and lens technologies can help restore your clear vision.