Woodlands Cataract Surgery – Woodlands Custom Vision
Also Serving The Woodlands Cataracts Patients

Cataracts and Your Eyes
A cataract is a buildup of protein that clouds the lens inside the eye and can lead to impaired, blurry vision. More than half of Americans over the age of 60 have cataracts. However, even children can develop cataracts. A person's risk of developing cataracts and other eye diseases can increase due to smoking, air pollution and heavy alcohol consumption.

How Are Cataracts Diagnosed?
In order to properly diagnose cataracts, your Woodlands eye doctor, Dr. Carlos Manrique de Lara, can perform a series of tests. An eye exam is given to determine how well the patient is able to see. Woodlands cataracts patients should remember to bring glasses or wear contacts during their visit and exam. Dr. Manrique de Lara will also dilate your pupil in order to determine the condition of the lens and other eye features.

What Causes Cataracts?
Functionally, the eye is similar to a camera. Vision occurs when light rays enter through the front of the eye, pass through the cornea, the pupil and the aqueous humor and onto the lens. At this point, the lens then bends the light rays in order to focus objects onto the retina in the back of the eye. Once this action occurs, the retina, optic nerve and brain process the images and create vision.

Cataracts are formed when protein builds up in the lens, causing it to become cloudy. The occluded lens prevents light from passing through, which causes a loss of eyesight. Medical professionals and scientists have not yet discovered why the buildup of protein responsible for cataracts occurs.

Types of cataracts include:

• Age-related cataracts. As the name suggests, this type of cataract develops as a result of aging.
• Congenital cataracts. Babies are sometimes born with cataracts as a result of an infection they had before they were born, or they may develop during childhood.
• Secondary cataracts. These may develop as a result of other diseases, like diabetes, or long-term exposure to toxic substances, certain medications (such as corticosteroids or diuretics), ultraviolet light, and radiation.
• Traumatic cataracts. These can form after injury to the eye.

What Are the Symptoms of Cataracts?
Cataracts are unpredictable and can cause visual impairment such as:

• Vision that is cloudy, blurry, foggy or filmy.
• Sudden nearsightedness.
• Changes in the way you see color, especially yellow and white
• Problems driving at night because oncoming headlights can cause glare, haloing,
• Problems with glare.
• Double vision.

Sudden temporary improvement in close-up vision

How Are Cataracts Treated?
The eye exam will help the doctor determine how the cataract has affected your vision. If you suffer from vision loss that impairs your daily life, you may be a candidate for cataract surgery, which involves removing the clouded lens and replacing it with an Intraocular Lens (IOL). When it comes to choosing a lens implant, only you and your doctor can decide which IOL is right for you. Cataract surgery is conducted on an outpatient basis. In fact, it is the most frequently performed surgery in the U.S., with more than 1.5 million cataract surgeries done each year. Better than nine out of 10 people who have cataract surgery have improvement in vision. Talk to your doctor to see which treatment is right for you, because you have a choice.

Can Cataracts Be Prevented?
Because the exact cause of cataracts is uncertain, there is no proven method of preventing them. Because they are so common in older adults, however, it's important to have your eyes examined on a regular basis. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, people aged 40 and over should have a comprehensive eye examination every year.
People with a history of eye problems or other medical conditions that increase the risk of eye disease --such as diabetes-- should have eye exams more frequently (once a year or as recommended by your doctor).

Contact us if you would like more information on Cataracts.

Woodlands Custom Vision

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Woodlands Custom Vision
9595 Six Pines Dr., Suite 6240
The Woodlands, TX 77380
www.WoodlandsCustomVision.com
(281) 367-2010

Carlos Manrique de Lara, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Lasik Eye Surgeon - Ophthalmologist - Eye Doctor
Providing Lasik Eye Surgery and Laser Vision Correction in Houston and to the Rio Grande Valley Including McAllen, Edinburg, Harlingen and Brownsville!