June is Cataract Awareness Month and time to think about your eyes. A cataract is a painless, cloudy area in the lens of the eye that blocks light to the retina. It's caused by aging and exposure to sunlight, though there are several other things that can contribute to the cloudy build up including diabetes, smoking, high blood pressure and eye injury.
In the below video, Dr. Francisco Garcia-Ferrer, Mercy Clinic Eye Specialists - Ophthamology, explains the process of the quick 15-minute, modern cataract surgery.
"I always tell my patients they know when they need cataract surgery. Meaning, they know if they're having a problem with their vision," Dr. Garcia-Ferrer said. "If someone starts to limit what they do, or the things they enjoy, such as golfing or reading a book - and if it's due to a cataract - then it's probably time to think about cataract surgery and to start looking at their options."
