Cataract FAQs
Do you have questions about cataracts and cataract surgery? Wolfe Eye Clinic can help answer any FAQs regarding cataract diagnosis and treatment options.
We are known for providing the highest quality eye care across a variety of specialties, including cataracts. Our doctors bring a vast amount of skill and knowledge to the diagnosis and treatment of this medical condition. Motivated by the needs of our patients, we insist on remaining at the forefront of technology. This commitment dates back to the 1930s when Wolfe Eye Clinic doctors were leaders in developing modern intracapsular surgery that made cataract surgery safer and recovery time more rapid. Over the past eighty years, innovations in cataract surgery developed at Wolfe Eye Clinic often became the standard of care nationwide and these procedures also helped change the course of cataract care throughout the world. To date, we have operated on more than 200,000 cataract patients.
We serve patients throughout the state with Clinics in Ames, Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Fort Dodge, Iowa City, Marshalltown, Ottumwa, Spencer, Waterloo, West Des Moines, and Pleasant Hill. To learn more or to schedule a cataract consultation, call 1-800-542-7956.
Frequently Asked Questions
We have 13 ophthalmologists (medical doctors) who specialize in cataract care and treatment at multiple locations across Iowa. Our physicians are highly skilled medical professionals who use the latest technologies and procedures. To date, we have performed more than 200,000 cataract procedures.
Talk with your doctor to determine when cataract surgery is right for you.
Modern surgical techniques have made cataract removal one of the safest and most successful surgeries today. The virtually painless procedure takes about 15 minutes and is usually performed in a hospital or surgery center on an outpatient basis. First, the clouded natural lens is dissolved by a process called phacoemulsification. The lens is then replaced with a plastic intraocular lens (IOL). This is accomplished through a tiny incision in the eye that often heals on its own and does not require stitches.
Cataracts are diagnosed through a routine comprehensive dilated eye exam.
There is no way to prevent cataracts, but there is, however, steps you can take that may be helpful including:
– Have regular eye exams to detect cataract development
– Quit smoking
– Wear sunglasses
– Maintain a healthy weight
– Choose a healthy diet (plenty of fruits and vegetables)
– Manage health problems such as diabetes
A cataract causes the clear lens to slowly change to a yellowish/brownish color, adding a brownish tint to vision. At first, the amount of tinting may be small and may not cause a problem with vision. Over time, increased tinting may make it more difficult to read and perform other routine activities. Signs of cataracts may include:
– Cloudy, blurry or dim vision
– Seeing faded colors
– Difficulty seeing at night or in low light
– Sensitivity to light and glare
– Seeing halos around lights or faded/yellowed colors
– Needing a brighter light for reading and other activities
– Frequent eyeglasses prescription changes
Everyone is at risk because cataracts are mostly an age-related medical condition. By age 75, about 70 percent of people will have developed cataracts.
Cataracts occur when there is a buildup of protein in the eye’s lens making it cloudy. This cloudy film prevents light from passing clearly through the lens, reducing the sharpness of the image reaching the retina making it increasingly hard to see as the cataract progresses.
A cataract is a medical condition that occurs when there is a buildup of protein in the naturally clear lens of the eye causing it to become cloudy and resulting in decreased vision. More than half of all Americans 65 and older develop cataracts.