Cataract Surgery Hershey PA

Cataracts can begin to form as early as age 40, but there are typically no meaningful signs in the earliest stages of cataracts. By age 60, cataracts can become significant enough for surgery. If you live or work in Hershey PA and need cataract, you can count on help from the trusted Eye Consultants of Pennsylvania eye professionals at our Lebanon office.

Signs of a cataract

Patients don’t typically have any symptoms in the early stages of cataract formation. As the cataract progresses, our patients notice the following symptoms:

• Cloudy vision: fuzzy spots in your vision as if you are looking through a dirty windshield, or blurred vision that appears as if you are looking through a waterfall
• Light sensitivity:  increased sensitivity to sunlight or bright indoor lights.
• Glare: halo formation around bright lights
• Night vision difficulty: gradually worsening night vision and glare or halos around oncoming headlights

Why do cataracts form?

Many of our patients think cataracts are a disease. Instead, a cataract is a natural part of aging. As we age, proteins in the eye break down and deposit on the eye lens. Over time, the deposits grow and even harden on the lens. Light no longer focuses on the lens but scatters instead. When this happens, patients experience the signs mentioned above.

Genetics are a factor in determining whether you will form a cataract, as are lifestyle factors. About 20 percent of adults have early cataract formation by age 40. Cataracts typically progress very gradually, so you may not even notice whether you have a cataract. Cataracts progress in your 50s and after age 60 may be significant enough to need surgery. If your vision has become significantly impaired, we will likely recommend surgery and will perform a thorough evaluation to determine whether you are a good candidate for the surgery.

The best treatment for a cataract is regular eye exams to monitor the cataract’s progression. Surgery may not be needed for years. Instead, we can likely just keep changing your eyeglasses or contact lens prescription to adjust for the cataract. Eventually, surgery will be needed, and surgery is the only true fix for a cataract. The surgery involves removal of the natural clouded lens and replacing it with an intraocular lens (IOL). The surgery is very safe and effective; in fact, cataract surgery is one of the safest surgeries performed today.

Have you had cataract symptoms? If so, come see us at our Lebanon office which is the closest location for Hershey PA residents interested in a cataract surgery evaluation. You will be in excellent hands with the trusted professionals at Eye Consultants of Pennsylvania. Come see us for an eye exam at our Cataract Center of Excellence. Not only will we check for cataracts, we’ll check for other eye issues like glaucoma or age-related macular degeneration. Regular eye exams are the key, so give us a call today.