Cataract Surgery FAQs

A cataract is the clouding and discolouration of the natural lens in your eye. Light entering your eye becomes scattered and blocked, preventing it from reaching the back of your eye, which interferes with you vision.

The natural lens in your eye is mainly made up of water and protein. These proteins are normally arranged so that light can pass through easily. As we get older, these proteins naturally become re-arranged and bunched up. When the proteins are bunched up, light cannot pass through as well and your lens becomes cloudy.

The most common cause of cataracts is the normal aging process. As we grow older, the lens of the eye tends to gradually lose its clarity and become cloudy. The result is a decrease in the quality of vision. Other conditions such and diabetes and trauma to the eye can cause the cataract to develop more rapidly.

Cataract surgery is the only way a cataract can be removed. This surgery involves creating a very small opening through which the natural lens of your eye (which has become yellow and hardened) is removed. Once that lens is removed, it is replaced with a new clear intra-ocular lens (IOL) implant.

The severity of your cataract will determine whether or not you need cataract surgery. In the early stages of the disease, you may be able to treat your symptoms using anti-glare sunglasses, brighter lighting, and magnifying lenses.

However, more serious cases require surgical treatment. Your eye care professional will likely recommend cataract surgery if your vision loss affects your everyday life. For example, your cataract may make it difficult to drive or look at computer and TV screens.

Cataract surgery has one of the highest success rates of all surgeries. The National Library of Medicine reports that this procedure improves eyesight for 95% of patients.

Virtually everyone develops cataracts to varying degrees as they get older. Because cataracts usually develop gradually, many people may not recognize how diminished and debilitated their vision is. If left untreated, cataracts will cause your vision to worsen.

As you age, your risk of developing cataracts increases.

No. During cataract surgery, your entire natural lens is removed and replaced with a new, clear intra-ocular lens (IOL) that cannot become clouded like your natural one.

Sometimes patients do experience cloudy vision after cataract surgery. This isn’t a new cataract, but a clouding of the posterior capsule, the microscopic bag that holds your new lens in place.

When this happens, your doctor may recommend a YAG laser treatment to quickly and easily restore clear vision. All patients undergoing cataract surgery at MEC are scheduled a 6 month follow up to assess if the YAG laser treatment is necessary. If you do need this treatment it is a painless in office procedure that is covered by OHIP.

If you don’t have cataract surgery the lens will stay cloudy and over time will get worse. The surgery can be more challenging if the lens becomes too cloudy (or dense) so we often advise people to have them removed as soon as you notice a change in your vision.

Everyone’s insurance plan is different, some do cover the cataract surgery upgrades and others do not. We can provide you with a surgical quote that you can submit to your insurance company for pre-approval.