Cataract Awareness Month

June is Cataract Awareness Month | Burlington County Eye PhysiciansPrevent Blindness America has declared June as Cataract Awareness Month. Prevent Blindness America was founded in 1908 and is the nation’s leading volunteer eye health and safety organization and is committed to eliminating preventable blindness.

Cataracts affect more than 24 million Americans and are the leading cause of blindness worldwide. A cataract is the gradual clouding of the lens of the eye until it become opaque. The clouding prevents light from passing directly through the lens and forming a sharply focused image onto the retina.

Almost everyone over the age of 65 has some degree of cataract.

Symptoms of Cataracts 

Cataract formation is a natural part of the aging process. Cataracts can blur your vision and create glare around lights. But your vision can be restored with cataract surgery. More than 3 million cataract surgeries are performed every year in America.

Cataracts develop slowly and it can take years to notice the effect.  If you notice a high sensitivity to bright lights or halos around car headlights and streetlights, or an overall blurriness to your vision, visit your eye doctor for a comprehensive eye exam.

Cataract Surgery - What to Expect

The opaque lens is removed and replaced with an artificial lens.  This artificial lens is called an intraocular lens implant.   Cataract surgery is an outpatient procedure and takes only about 30 minutes. Only one eye is done at a time. Your doctor will place eyedrops in your eye to dilate the pupil and will give you a local anesthetic to numb the eye.

Modern cataract surgery uses a handheld ultrasonic device that breaks up the cataract or laser surgery that uses a computer-controlled laser to break up and remove the cataract. No matter which surgery technique is used, most people can expect their vision to improve quickly. Cataract surgery is both safe and effective.

With today’s advanced intraocular lens implants, you can even eliminate the need for glasses. Medicare and most other medical insurance will cover the cost (less your deductible) of cataract surgery and a basic lens implant. 

f you choose a special lens that eliminates the need for glasses the additional cost of the lens is not covered.

During your consultation, we will discuss all aspects about cataract surgery including costs and insurance coverage.