Symptoms of early cataracts may be improved with new eyeglasses, brighter lighting, anti-glare sunglasses, or magnifying lenses. If these measures do not help, surgery is the only effective treatment. Surgery involves removing the cloudy lens and replacing it with an artificial lens.

Cataract surgery is performed in our ambulatory surgery center located in Cedar Knolls. The procedure takes place in an operating room and involves making a small incision on the side of the cornea (the clear, dome-shaped surface that covers the front of the eye). A tiny probe is inserted into the eye and emits ultrasound waves that soften and break up the lens so that it can be removed by suction. Most cataract surgery today is done by phacoemulsification, also called small incision cataract surgery. Most cases do not require any injections or sutures. Anesthetic eye drops are used to numb the eye for the surgery.

After the natural lens has been removed, it often is replaced by a synthetic lens called an intraocular lens (IOL). An IOL is a clear, soft plastic lens that requires no care and becomes a permanent part of your eye. Light is focused clearly by the IOL onto the retina, improving your vision. You will not feel or see the new lens.