Cataracts

The lens in your eye refracts and focuses light, helping you see clearly. In healthy eyes, the lens is normally clear, but in patients with cataracts, the lens becomes cloudy. This cloudiness affects the way the eye processes light, resulting in poor vision. The team at Masons Eyecare can assist you in the diagnosis and management of cataracts. Kempsey and Macleay Valley locals are invited to visit our clinic for an eye examination and advice.

Cataracts are characterised by a gradual and painless deterioration in sight. They can result in blurry vision, fuzzy spots in your field of vision, diplopia (double vision) and glare sensitivity. This is particularly noticeable when driving at night.

Cataracts are usually age-related and connected to long-term UV light exposure. However, cataracts can also develop in younger patients, and you may also be born with them. Injury, disease, and exposure to certain radiated and toxic materials may also lead to cataracts.

To treat cataracts, the clouded lens is removed through surgery. The procedure for cataract surgery is fairly minor and usually performed as a day surgery (no overnight stay required). An ophthalmologist will complete the procedure and patients will generally receive a local anesthetic.

While there is no guaranteed way to avoid cataracts, sun safety measures including a wide-brimmed hat and appropriate glasses are recommended as a preventative measure.