Improve Your Tennis Game with Cataract Surgery
Cataracts affect everyone. They are an inevitable part of aging. This has led to them being the most common cause of blindness in the world.
They affect over 24 million people in the U.S. alone, a number that is expected to double by 2050. But there is some very good news about all this.
As widespread and unavoidable as cataracts are, dealing with them is simple and safe. Keep reading to learn more about cataracts and how removing them could improve your tennis game!
Choosing an IOL
Cataracts are not removed by themselves. Instead, cataract surgery involves removing the natural lens of the eye. The natural lens is then replaced with an artificial lens called an IOL.
Intraocular lenses are synthetic and made of durable materials like silicone or acrylic. They come in a variety of options from basic to premium. Depending on your needs and budget, you could end up with the best vision of your life after cataract surgery!
The most basic IOL is a monofocal IOL, and it allows the recipient to see clearly at one distance. The patient will then need to use glasses for either near or distance vision.
While functional and cost-effective, many people don’t want to rely on glasses after cataract surgery. This makes monofocal IOLs less appealing.
Premium options include multifocal and accommodating IOLs. These IOLs correct for near vision, far vision, and in between.
Multifocal IOLs operate more like traditional bifocal or trifocal lenses. With these IOLs, the correction happens in the design of the lens. This is with several “zones” that are set to different prescription strengths.
With accommodating IOLs, they instead move inside of your eye in a more natural way. This is the IOL that’s closest to how the natural lens moves in the eye.
Toric IOLs are an option that is specifically designed to correct vision for patients with astigmatism.
How Cataracts are Removed
To remove the lens and replace it with a pre-selected IOL, the surgeon creates an incision in the cornea. The area is numbed before this, so you will not feel anything during the procedure.
After creating the incision, the lens is then broken apart. This is to fit it through the pupil and out of the incision. This is with a process called phacoemulsification.
Phacoemulsification uses a hypersonic probe that emits pulses that gently break the lens of the eye. These pieces are then removed with suction.
After removing the pieces of the lens and cataract, the IOL is gently placed in the membrane that housed the natural lens. After that, the opening is closed and allowed to heal without stitches.
Life After Cataract Surgery
Cataracts develop slowly over time. For this reason, it can be hard to realize how much vision they take away over the years they develop.
After cataract surgery, the quality of your vision will improve dramatically. More than that, your quality of life will improve immensely as well!
No more struggling to do detailed tasks or read. No more strained vision that causes headaches. The best part is cataract surgery can improve your tennis game!
If you’ve been struggling on the tennis courts because of cataracts, cataract surgery will truly be life-changing. Cataract surgery can give you a piece of yourself back, just like that.
Ready to get back on the tennis courts? Schedule a cataract screening at Pinke Eye Center in Shelton, CT to take the first step towards clearer vision!
