Cataracts are a common part of aging, but they don’t always require immediate treatment. In many cases, they can be safely monitored until vision changes begin to affect daily activities like reading, driving, or watching television. In this video, Dr. Ilan Epstein explains what cataracts are, when cataract surgery becomes necessary, and why glasses or contact lenses cannot restore vision once a cataract develops.
Hi, I’m Dr. Ilan Epstein. I’m a cataract surgeon at the Fort Lauderdale Eye Institute.
Today, I’d like to discuss cataracts and when surgery is necessary.
A cataract represents the eye’s natural lens becoming cloudy. It’s a very common part of aging, but the important thing to know is that not all cataracts require immediate surgery.
If your cataracts are not causing any visual symptoms, we would simply monitor them over time. Surgery is usually only recommended when vision loss starts to interfere with your daily activities including reading, driving, or watching television.
One common misconception is that cataracts can be corrected with a new prescription for glasses or contact lenses.
However, once the natural lens has formed into a cataract, there are no glasses or contact lenses that can be used to restore clear vision at that point. Surgery would be the only effective treatment. Cataract surgery is one of the safest and most effective procedures.
If you notice changes in your vision, we’ll work with you to determine the right time to consider surgery.
