When Is The Time Right For Cataract Surgery?
Posted on: 9 June 2019
It can be frightening to learn that you have cataracts, but the diagnosis is often worse than the actual disease. In most cases, cataracts progress relatively slowly, and early symptoms are not usually debilitating. In the early stages of the disease, cataracts will generally only cause somewhat blurred vision, halos, and light sensitivity. Symptoms become more severe as the disease progresses, of course, but initially, it can be difficult to determine whether surgery is immediately necessary.
Can You Treat Cataracts Non-Surgically?
There are treatment options to minimize the impact that cataracts will have on your life, but restoring your vision will ultimately require surgery. In the meantime, your ophthalmologist will evaluate your vision to determine the best course of action. This may initially include only very mild treatment strategies, such as new eyeglass prescriptions or special coatings for the lenses on your glasses. Some simple lifestyle adjustments, such as making heavier use of sunglasses or changing how areas that you live in and work in are lit, can help to make the impacts on your vision more manageable.
While you can take these steps to help you live your life normally, it is important to understand that your vision is still compromised. Be sure to consult with your ophthalmologist about issues such as driving, especially at night. Keeping these limitations in mind is important for your own safety and the safety of others.
Can You Safely Delay Surgery?
The longer you wait to have a cataract surgery performed, the worse the effects on your vision are likely to become. Likewise, the non-surgical treatments that you choose to use will become less effective over time. Fortunately, surgery is still an excellent option to restore your vision, and it is exceedingly rare that waiting to have the surgery performed has any permanent adverse effects. Whatever your reason for choosing to delay surgery, you can rest easy knowing that it is generally never too late to finally have it performed.
When Should You Finally Schedule Your Surgery?
If you do choose to delay your surgery, then when you choose to finally schedule it is entirely a matter of personal preference. Most people elect to have the surgery once the effects on their lives become too great to bear, and non-surgical options are no longer providing sufficient relief. This line in the sand comes once driving is no longer possible for many people, but you will have to decide for yourself when the time is right.
It is important to keep in mind that cataract surgery is extremely common, and the risks are very low. As with any surgery, be sure to discuss all potential outcomes with your doctor before making any decisions. Having a frank and candid conversation about the benefits and risks may assuage your fears and convince you to have the surgery done sooner rather than later.
Share