Are you searching for a cataract surgeon in the Dallas and Greenville areas? Cataracts, defined as a clouding of the eye lens, is one of the main conditions that leads to blindness in the U.S. today, affecting more than 20 million Americans age 40 and older—a number that is expected to increase significantly over the next 10 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

What Causes Cataracts?

It can occur as a result of trauma, diabetes, smoking, alcohol, drugs, ultraviolet radiation, and nutritional deficiencies, but the most common reason people develop cataracts is due to aging. In fact, more than half of Americans over the age of 80 have some degree of cataract or have had cataract surgery done, and by the time they reach 95, nearly 100 percent of Americans have cataracts.

How Do Cataracts Develop?

In a cataract-free eye, a clear lens filters and focuses light onto the retina, where it is transmitted to the brain through the optical nerve and translated into a visual image. The lens is comprised of water and protein, and as we age, the cluster of proteins in the lens begin to clump together, creating a hazy impediment. when the lens becomes cloudy, the light does not filter correctly to the retina, and vision becomes blurry. The degree of clouding in the lens determines how blurry your vision will be.

What Treatment Options are Available?

Fortunately, if you do develop a cataract in one or both eyes that cannot be corrected with eyeglasses or contacts, the surgery to correct it is one of the most common and successful eye surgeries performed in America, with more than two million procedures done every year.

The procedure is a simple outpatient surgery, and takes about 20-30 minutes from start to finish. During the procedure, the surgeon will remove the clouded lens and replace it with a new, permanent artificial lens. If you require cataract surgery in both eyes, the procedures will be scheduled approximately one week apart.

Advances in surgical procedures means there are many options for Dallas and Greenville area cataract patients, so if you’re experiencing clouded vision, come see us today to discuss how we can help improve your vision and get you back to your daily routine as quickly as possible.