Eye Health Archive

Advances in imaging, measuring, and lenses are making the procedure even better.

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A cataract—clouding of the lens inside the eye—is a common cause of poor vision and blindness among older adults. But cataracts can be removed and replaced with artificial lenses. Sound scary? It's not. "Cataract surgery is something that just about everyone will need if you live long enough. Thankfully, with all of the tools and technologies at our disposal, much of it has become fairly routine. The vast majority of people have excellent outcomes with improvement in their quality of vision," says Dr. Christian Song, a cataract and refractive surgeon at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary.

Typical surgery

Cataract surgery is an outpatient procedure. To remove the cataract, the surgeon makes a circular incision around the eye's lens, and then uses ultrasound technology to break up and remove the cloudy lens. After that, a new lens is slipped into the eye.

When kids pack for summer camp, sunglasses may not always top the supply list. But I made them a priority for my 12-year-old son Carson, who just started rowing camp in Florida, because eyes are vulnerable to damaging ultraviolet rays, which are especially intense near reflective surfaces. Ultraviolet rays can damage the eyes several way, ultimately leading to cataract, glaucoma, macular degeneration, and other thieves of vision. You don’t have to spend a bundle to get a good pair of sunglasses. Just make sure to pick ones that block close to 100% of ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B (UVA and UVB) rays.