Cataracts are an opacity or clouding of the normally crystalline lens of the eye, caused by the natural aging process, metabolic changes, injury, various forms of radiation, toxic chemicals and certain drugs. The leading cause of vision loss among adults age 60 or older, cataracts impair vision, making everyday activities increasingly difficult.
In most cases, daily activities, such as driving and reading, can be resumed almost immediately, usually within a day or two. In simple terms, a cataract is usually part of the normal aging process that changes the natural, clear lens of the eye into a cloudy, opaque structure that inhibits or diminishes the passage of light to the retina. The condition can be compared to a window that is frosted or "fogged" with steam. Treatment of cataracts today is an outpatient, surgical procedure that takes only a short time.

Symptoms:
Patients with cataracts often experience the following symptoms:

Detection:

Adults over the age of 50 should schedule routine eye examinations on an annual basis to determine whether cataracts or other eye disorders are present. A thorough examination by an ophthalmologist usually includes:

Fixed Focus Monofocal IOLs are most common. These lenses have the advantage of excellent quality distance vision under a variety of lighting conditions. They have a fixed focal point that is generally set for distance vision, so reading glasses are typically required for good near vision. For patients willing to use reading glasses for near tasks, these IOLs are an excellent choice. Several million lenses of this variety have been used for decades with an excellent safety record. Recent refinements in the optical quality of these lenses allow an even higher quality of vision than before. Some lenses are available with special materials that block potentially harmful blue light. If you are having cataract surgery, these lenses are usually covered with the expense of the surgery.

Accomodating Monofocal IOLs behave much like the natural eye. They are used when both good distance and good near vision are desired without the use of spectacles. These IOLs have a single focal point; however the focal point can shift. This means that objects at distance are clear when the eye focuses on them, but when the eye looks at a near object the IOL will shift its focal point to bring the near object into focus. The lens achieves this by physically moving inside the eye in response to the focusing action of the muscles of the eye. The only FDA approved IOL of this type is called the Crystalens™. Patients implanted with the Crystalens™ IOL generally enjoy near vision without glasses that is much better than those implanted with Fixed Focus Monofocal IOLs. Vision at the intermediate (computer screen) distance is superb with the Crystalens™, making this an excellent IOL for those who spend a great deal of time on a computer.

No implant can guarantee that after cataract surgery you will not need any glasses. However, approximately 85 percent of patients that have elected to have these newer IOL’s described above state they no longer need glasses for distance or reading.

When the surface of a normal eye has a round curve, like a basketball, light rays passing through it bend towards its center and focus on one spot.

Sometimes the surface of the eye (cornea) is curved more like a football than a basketball. When this uneven curvature exists, vision becomes distorted. This common irregularity is called corneal astigmatism.

Following cataract surgery, if you have astigmatism, you may still experience blurred and distorted vision.  This is because, the “standard” lens implanted as part of your surgery does not correct astigmatism. If you do have astigmatism, you may require eyeglasses, contact lenses, or further surgery to achieve quality distance vision.

An exciting option is a toric intraocular lens (IOL). The toric IOL is a lens that is implanted at the time of cataract surgery. Its unique design makes it possible to reduce or significantly improve uncorrected distance vision like a standard or monofocal IOL while eliminating corneal astigmatism. This lens provides better quality distance vision independent of glasses and contact lenses than a standard lens does. The toric intraocular lens is made of the same material already successfully implanted in more than 25 million eyes since 1991.