What is a cataract?
A cataract is a clouding of the eye's naturally clear lens. The lens focuses light rays on the retina - the layer of light-sensing cells lining the back of the eye - to produce a sharp image of what we see. When the lens becomes cloudy, light rays cannot pass through it easily, and vision is blurred.

What causes cataracts?
Cataract development is a normal process of aging, but cataracts also develop from eye injuries, certain diseases, or medications. Your genes may also play a role in cataract development.

What's expected if I decide to have cataract surgery?
Before surgery, you will be given eyedrops and perhaps a mild sedative to help make you comfortable. A local anesthetic will numb your eye. The skin around your eye will be thoroughly cleansed, and sterile coverings will be placed around your head. You may see light and movement, but you will not be able to see the surgery while it is happening.
Under an operating microscope, a small incision is made in the eye. In most cataract surgeries, tiny surgical instruments are used to break apart and remove the cloudy lens from the eye. A plastic, acrylic, or silicone intraocular lens is implanted in the eye to replace the natural lens that was removed.
After surgery is completed, your doctor may place a shield over your eye. After a short stay in the oupatient recovery area, you will be ready to go home.