All You Need to Know About Cataracts | Vision for Life

Cataracts, Lens Replacement, PanOptix

According to the National Eye Institute, over half of the United States population will either develop cataracts or undergo cataract surgery by the time they’re 80 years old. This common eye disease can cause many symptoms such as blurry vision, double vision, and sensitivity to light. At Vision for Life, with Dr. Horn’s experience and our investment in the most state-of-the-art technology, cataract procedures are safe and effective.

How do I know if I have cataracts?

A cataract is a cloudy area in the lens of your eye. Since early symptoms of cataracts tend to be mild, you might not even know you have one at first. But as cataracts grow, they can significantly change the way you see the world. This could mean seeing double, seeing halos or dull colors, being unable to see well at night, or having to change your glasses’ prescription often. Overtime, cataracts can lead to vision loss, so it’s important to get the issue corrected!

What can cause cataracts?

Most cataracts are caused by normal changes in your eye due to aging—at around 40, the proteins in the lens of your eye start to break down and clump together. This clump in turn creates a cloudy area in your lens. You could also be at higher risk for cataracts if you smoke, drink an excessive amount of alcohol, have a family history of cataracts, spend a lot of time in the sun, take steroids, or have had previous eye injuries or surgeries.

How are cataracts treated?

Lens replacement is the only way to correct cataracts. Len replacement is a safe, fast and effective procedure, with a majority of patients going back to work within a couple of days. The procedure involves removing the clouded lens and replacing it with a new, artificial lens.

Dr. Horn specializes in the lens replacement procedure and has been a leader in the study of new lens replacement technologies. This experience allows Dr. Horn to design a lens replacement procedure specific to your particular eye condition. The PanOptix lens is an example of one of the latest lens replacement technologies. The PanOptix Lens is a tri-focal lens implant and it is currently the first and only tri-focal lens in the United States. Dr. Horn was one of twelve surgeons selected to research the PanOptix lens for the FDA and the first to implant it in Tennessee. These technologies, in combination with Dr. Horn’s expertise, will ensure you have the best possible outcome.