Dr. Gerber on Cataract Awareness
Dr. Alex Gerber: A cataract is a general term for diseases of the natural lens inside the eye. Typically, we refer to those changes that happen with age, that happen over a very long time, and they cause progressive gradual vision changes. They can also happen after a trauma, or an illness, or after the use of certain medications. Those can significantly reduce the vision really, really fast. It's important to get checked for cataracts on a regular basis. Having your cataracts out can not only improve your vision and the quality of your life, it can also save your life. Studies have shown that even mild to moderate cataracts can increase the risk of falls, really bad fractures, like hip fractures, even death after motor vehicle accidents.
Dr. Alex Gerber: The past several decades have seen amazing advances in the technology of the implants that are used to replace the natural lens of the eye in which the cataract forms. Eye Health offers both the use of these implants that can really improve the vision without the use of glasses, as well as this new laser technology that can help the surgeon do a cataract procedure as well. Prior to them, patients who had their cataracts out required really thick glasses. These days, with the use of these implants, chances are you won't need glasses for your driving or your reading. Even those that have a lot of astigmatism as well.
Dr. Alex Gerber: It's very exciting, we get to stay on top of the newest technology that's out there, and offer all these services to our patients, which again, not only improves the safety of their procedure, and also the precision. The safety of the procedure, as soon as an individual notices symptoms, they can have their cataract out to improve their vision and their quality of life. Anybody who's noticed that their reading vision is just not what it used to be, or if they're having some problems driving around, especially at night, or when it's rainy out, or really foggy, things like glare and halos, especially from oncoming headlights, should come in and see us, have their pupils dilated so we can give you a really good check for any cataract symptoms.