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Is cataract surgery really that bad? 4 biggest questions answered by an ophthalmologist, plus signs and symptoms not to ignore
Is cataract surgery really that bad? 4 biggest questions answered by an ophthalmologist, plus signs and symptoms not to ignore

Yahoo

time7 days ago

  • Health
  • Yahoo

Is cataract surgery really that bad? 4 biggest questions answered by an ophthalmologist, plus signs and symptoms not to ignore

While it's not as sunny an experience as retirement, grandkids or cruising, cataracts are, unfortunately, in the cards for many of us as we age. However, despite the anxiety-provoking nature of eye surgery, cataract surgery is nothing to be feared, according to an ophthalmologist. This Cataract Awareness Month, we decided to delve into the common medical procedure and answer all of your burning questions. What are the signs and symptoms of cataracts and what should patients know about the procedure? Scroll down to find out. This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Contact a qualified medical professional before engaging in any physical activity, or making any changes to your diet, medication or lifestyle. This article was originally published in 2024. A cataract is a cloudy area in the lens of the eye (behind the iris and the pupil) that gradually leads to a decrease in vision. Cataracts can vary in size and are extremely common, impacting almost everyone as they age. According to the Canadian Association of Optometrists, cataracts may develop slowly over several years or form rapidly in a matter of months. If you get regular eye exams, your eye doctor may diagnose you with a cataract before you experience any vision loss. Symptoms vary depending on the severity of the cataract. Because cataracts can develop over several years, someone with an early-stage cataract may not experience any symptoms. However, as the severity and size of the cataract grow, symptoms may include: Blurry, foggy or double vision Decreased night vision Seeing halos around lights Seeing dull or muted colours, or having difficulty identifying certain colours Sensitivity to bright lights Consider cataracts the grey hairs of eye health, as they impact almost everyone as they age. "It's one of those things that if you live long enough, [you] will develop cataracts," says Dr. Ken Roberts, a consultant ophthalmologist at Horizon Health Network in New Brunswick. More than 3.5 million Canadians live with cataracts, which is more than double the next leading cause of vision loss (age-related macular degeneration). Because it's so common, cataract surgery has become the number one most-performed surgery in Canada. It's in the "same category as wisdom teeth," says Roberts. "We all get them. It's just that common." While sunglasses and antioxidant-rich foods may help slow the growth of cataracts, with every candle on your birthday cake, your risk of developing them increases. In Canada, more than 80 per cent of cases are diagnosed in populations aged 60 and over. In groups younger than 60, early-onset cataracts may be linked to diabetes, trauma, or inherited genetic conditions. Cataracts, in almost all cases, are completely treatable. Modern cataract surgery is a safe, routine procedure typically done in less than 30 minutes. While the setting may differ depending on local healthcare resources, the surgery is commonly done in an outpatient setting. During cataract surgery, your eye surgeon will remove the cloudy crystalline lens from the eye and replace it with a clear implant known as an intraocular lens. Despite its surgical nature, Roberts says most patients don't require needles or stitches. To simplify, "the procedure is done by ultrasound," he says. "We freeze the eye with a gel that works extremely well," so while you may feel subtle pressure or your doctor touching your face, "nothing is painful." While cataract treatment is not a "spa day," it's not anything "you have to bear," Roberts tells Yahoo Canada. Post-procedure, most patients comment that it "wasn't so bad." Because "we've done so many cataracts over the last 20-30 years," eye surgeons know what to expect and are "very good at predicting the cases that we're going to have trouble with." While some people may recall cataracts used to have to be "ripe" (i.e. dense) to be operated on, surgeons no longer have to wait until patients are legally blind to perform the procedure. "Generally, we look at pulling the trigger for cataract surgery once [patients] have complaints," Roberts says. "If they can't see well at night, are changing their glasses prescriptions every six months, or no longer meet the driving standards, "then we look at removing cataracts. We [no longer] have to wait until they're severe." The "nice thing" about cataract surgery is that it's "normally a one-and-done per eye," he says. The surgery "will last a lifetime," so pending complications, you're free to go and live your life.

How Often You Really Need to Replace Your Contact Lenses, and What Happens When They Expire
How Often You Really Need to Replace Your Contact Lenses, and What Happens When They Expire

CNET

time06-06-2025

  • Health
  • CNET

How Often You Really Need to Replace Your Contact Lenses, and What Happens When They Expire

It's easy to take contact lenses for granted these days, especially in an age where laser correction surgery is widely available, but those transparent plastic discs you slip into each eye every morning are still a relatively new invention -- and still carry risks if you don't handle them correctly and replace them when needed. It wasn't until almost 1950 that the first modern plastic contact lens were introduced, and disposable contact lenses wouldn't hit the market until the '80s. As Dr. Robert Kinast puts it, "We think of contact lenses as being so normal, but 100 years ago, nobody walked around with little pieces of plastic over their eyes." Kinast, the vice chair of ophthalmology at Legacy Devers Eye Institute and co-founder of GentleDrop, says, "Contact lenses are foreign bodies and should be treated with respect." To that end, we talked with eye experts to learn how to care for contact lenses and when to replace them. How long do contacts last? The lifespan of your contact lenses depends on a few factors. Dr. Meenal Agarwal, optometrist and podcast host, explains, "Soft daily disposables are single-use, so you need to discard them after one day." At the other end of the spectrum, she says that "hard lenses can last one to two years with proper care." The most important rule, Agarwal says, is to always follow the replacement schedule recommended by your eye doctor. Soft lenses are the most commonly worn contact lenses, according to Dr. Jovi Boparai, ophthalmic surgeon and co-founder and CEO of CorneaCare. He explains that these lenses "range from daily disposables to weekly, biweekly or monthly." However, "Rigid gas permeable contact lenses can last much longer, ranging from months to a year." These lenses are made of hard plastic. While most contact lenses will last for the intended duration, some factors may shorten their lifespan. For instance, dust and smoke may cling to your lenses and make them unusable. If there is a wildfire in your area or a high allergen count and your lenses start to feel uncomfortable, you may want to toss them early. How to know if your contacts are expired The quickest way to gauge whether your contacts are expired is to look at the date on the box. Boarpai says that unopened contact lenses generally have a shelf life of one to four years from the date of manufacturing. Beyond reviewing the expiration date, you should pay attention to how your lenses look. According to Dr. Boparai, old lenses may show discoloration or damage. He also warns that expired contacts can develop deposits -- meaning a buildup of residue on the lenses. On the other hand, your contacts may still be expired, even if they look great. Agarwal warns, "The lenses may look the same as they did on the first day, but that doesn't mean they're still safe to use." In short, you should defer to the expiration date first, but also ditch your lenses if there is obvious damage or they become painful. Anna Gragert/CNET Expired contact lens symptoms It's easy to lose track of your lens-changing schedule when life gets busy. If that happens, your lenses may let you know they're expired before you even have a chance to track down the date on the box. "Wearing expired contacts can cause redness, pain or discomfort, irritation, blurry vision, excessive dryness and/or infections," Agarwal warns. You should take these symptoms as a red flag. The doctor advises, "If you experience any of these symptoms, remove the lenses and consult your eye doctor." According to Boparai, additional symptoms may include "burning, watery eyes, light sensitivity, discharge, foreign body sensation and eyelid swelling." Signs that your contacts are ready to be replaced It's worth noting that you won't always experience symptoms when your contacts are ready to be changed. Sticking to the appropriate schedule is vital, even if you think your contacts could last a few more weeks. As Agarwal explains, "Most of the time, you will not have any symptoms when your lenses are ready to be replaced." However, the doctor reiterates that if you've overworn contacts for a long time, you may notice vision problems, painful symptoms or "a torn or damaged lens and/or a buildup of deposits or debris on the lenses." This means it's definitely time to switch to a fresh pair. How often should I change my contact lenses? The simplest answer is to follow the recommended duration of use. Boparai reiterates that you should change lenses based on "the lifespan of the contact lenses as recommended by your eye doctor." You may also want to consider the length of time you're wearing your lenses per day. According to Optometrists Network, about half of all contact lens wearers don't comply with the wear schedule recommended by their doctors. This can lead to something called contact lens overwear syndrome, which occurs when your lenses obstruct your eyes' ability to absorb oxygen. Left untreated, you may experience bloodshot eyes, infection or a damaged cornea. Both doctors we spoke to insisted that you should never sleep in contacts unless it's recommended by a doctor. This may help prevent overwear syndrome and lower your risk of infections and ulcers. It also gives you an incentive to check your lenses each morning to make sure it's not time to change them to care for your contact lenses Proper care for your contacts not only helps maximize their lifetime but may also prevent eye infections. First and foremost, you should always handle your contact lenses with clean hands, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology. The organization also recommends using a "rub and rinse" method each time you use your lenses. This means you should first rub your lens with clean fingers and then rinse it with a contact lens solution. Contact lenses carry an increased risk of eye inflammation and infection, Boparai says. He adds that proper contact lens hygiene includes rinsing the lenses for 10 to 20 seconds before wear and making sure you don't touch your cornea when adding or removing the lenses. Boparai also recommends changing your contact lens solution every day. Meenal emphasizes the importance of storing your lenses "in a clean case and replacing the case every three months." She warns that you should never use water or saliva to clean your contact lenses. How to prevent contact lens-related eye infections The most common eye infection associated with contact lenses is keratitis, which the Mayo Clinic describes as an inflammation of the cornea. And this infection happens a lot. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analyzed contact lens-related infections between 2005 and 2015 and determined that "keratitis from all causes, including contact lens wear, results in approximately 1 million clinic and emergency department visits annually." The AAO says that wearing extended-wear lenses, sleeping in your lenses and keeping a dirty lens case can all make you vulnerable to this type of infection. The Mayo Clinic warns that poor contact lens hygiene allows for the growth of bacteria, fungi and parasites that can infect your cornea. Agarwal adds to this advice, explaining that contact lens wearers should never share or reuse lenses. She also warns that you should "avoid wearing contacts in pools, hot tubs or the shower," removing your lenses at the first sign of discomfort. And don't use saliva to clean your lenses, as Boparai warns this makes you more vulnerable to infection. What about colored contacts and costume contacts? Cosmetic contacts, especially non-prescription costume lenses, are dangerous to your eyes and the American Academy of Ophthalmology warns against wearing any contact lenses not prescribed to you by a medical professional. In fact, it's against the law to sell contact lenses without a prescription in the United States because of the risk of eye infections or permanent eye damage from poorly fitting or poorly manufactured lenses, which can damage wearers' eyes. There are prescription cosmetic lenses on the market, mostly used to hide eye problems present from birth, but those need to be made specifically for the wearer's eyes, and they'll come with guidance from your eye doctor as to how long you should wear them and when they'll need replacing. When to contact an eye doctor if you wear contact lenses The AAO says that patients who are at low risk for ocular disease should get an eye exam at least every two years until the age of 64, unless their doctor recommends more frequent exams. After the age of 65, annual eye exams are the standard. However, even if you're not high risk, you should see your eye doctor "as soon as possible if you experience eye pain, persistent redness or swelling, intolerance or discomfort with your lenses, sudden blurry vision, unusual discharge, excessive tearing and/or sensitivity to light," Agarwal said, adding that you should remove your lenses and not wear them again until your doctor gives you the go-ahead. Vision changes also call for another visit to the eye doctor, says Boparai. He emphasizes that if you have uncomfortable symptoms or vision loss, "Your eye doctor will help guide management to keep your eyes comfortable and clear." The bottom line When in doubt, don't overwear your contact lenses. You should throw them out as soon as they expire, start to hurt your eyes or appear damaged. Wearing lenses improperly isn't just uncomfortable -- it can also lead to serious infections. Don't be afraid to call your eye doctor if something seems wrong.

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