Surgery can often be postponed until the cataract begins to seriously affect your ability to function. Often in the early stages of a cataract you can get the help you need from a new distance prescription eyeglass, stronger reading glasses, better lighting or specialized optical devices such as magnifiers or telescopes. Continue to see your eye doctor regularly to evaluate how the cataract is progressing. When glasses or magnifiers no longer help, or when you develop cataracts in both eyes, surgery is the only option. There is no medicine or other treatment that can dissolve or remove cataracts.
Cataract surgery is an outpatient procedure performed by an ophthalmologist.
The process involves removing the lens and replacing it with an artificial lens or implant. Your eye doctor will decide which is best for your eye based on the condition of your lens, the history of previous eye surgery, and the ability of the pupil to dilate. Phacoemulsification does not usually require stitches, has a shorter recovery period, and is suitable for most individuals. The visual outcome is the same for both methods. In general, both types of surgery require local anesthesia and the dilation of the pupil to ensure that the lens is exposed as widely as possible.