A cataract is a clouding of the eye's normally clear lens. For various reasons including injury, age, and congenital birth defects, the eye will lose transparency and the lens material of the eye turns yellow. When the lens material turns yellow, the amount of incoming light is reduced making everything appear cloudy.
Cataracts are most commonly related to the aging of the eye and are the leading cause of visual disability in people over the age of 65. Seventy-five percent of all cataracts are age related and more than half of American seniors have a cataract. Adult cataracts develop slowly and painlessly with a gradual loss of vision. Recent medical research indicates that exposure to excessive sunlight and smoking may accelerate the development of cataracts.
More frequent eyeglass and contact lens changes may be a temporary remedy, but surgery is the only treatment for cataracts. Cataract surgery involves the removal of the clouded lens and replacing it with a new clear artificial lens called an intraocular lens (IOL). Cataract surgery is among the most frequent and safest surgical procedure performed each year. Recently, new advances in accommodative intraocular lens technology are allowing some patients to enjoy clearer vision while also reducing dependence on reading glasses. Your doctor can assist you in determining if cataract surgery is the best option for correcting your vision and deciding on which lens option will best meet your unique vision needs. Cataract surgery is an outpatient procedure and can be performed using local or topical anesthesia. Morganton Eye Physicians is pleased to provide modern surgical procedures for the removal of cataracts at our own outpatient surgery centers which are dedicated exclusively to our patients and their eye care needs.
Symptoms of Cataracts Include:
To learn more about Cataract Surgery, schedule an appointment today!
Latest News
Morganton Eye Physicians, PA is pleased to announce the association of Dr. Jeremy Bonkowske for the practice of Cornea and External Disease and Surgery. Dr. Bonkowske obtained his medical degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine and completed an internship at the University of Missouri Department of Internal Medicine. Dr. Bonkowske completed his ophthalmology residency at Wake Forest University, where he served as Chief Resident. Dr. Bonkowske completed a comprehensive one-year fellowship in cornea, external diseases, and refractive surgery at the Dean McGee Eye Center at the University of Oklahoma.
Dr. Bonkowske is now accepting patients at our Morganton, Marion, Forest City, and Shelby locations.
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