A cataract is a progressive clouding of the eye's natural lens that interferes with light passing through to the retina. Sufferers usually describe the condition being similar to looking through a waterfall, or a piece of wax paper, with a gradual blurring or dimming of vision.

   Reading may become more difficult and driving a car can actually become dangerous. Cataract sufferers may also be troubled by a bothersome glare, halos around lights or even double vision. And as the cataract becomes worse, frequent changes in eyeglass prescriptions may become necessary.

  Recent studies suggest that nutritional supplements such as vitamins C, E and other antioxidants may help reduce cataract formation. Once cataracts form, they may be surgically removed to improve vision.

There two surgical options:

• Extracapsular Cataract Extraction

   The surgeon makes an incision where the cornea and sclera meet. Carefully entering the eye through the incision, the surgeon gently opens the front of the capsule and removes the hard center, or nucleus, of the lens. Using a microscopic instrument, the surgeon then suctions out the soft lens cortex, leaving the capsule in place. This type of surgery usually needs sutures to close the incision

• Phacoemulsification

   Is a modification of the extracapsular cataract extraction. In phacoemulsification, the nucleus is fragmented by an ultrasonic oscillating probe. The nuclear fragments are simultaneously suctioned from the eye. The size of the incision is smaller that the incision needed to remove the nucleus in the extracapsular technique.

   Before removing the cataract, the enclosing capsule needs to be opened. In the phacoemulsification procedure, the capsule is carefully torn to leave a smooth edge which will stretch without tearing. this procedure is called a capsulorhexis.

The phaco probe is then inserted into the eye and the harder nucleus is fragmented and suctioned out. The pulpy, softer epi-nucleus and cortex is then removed through a device called an IA (irrigation-aspiration) probe. Once all this material is removed, the eye is ready for the insertion of the intraocular lens (IOL).

An intraocular lens (IOL) is a clear plastic lens that is implanted in the eye during the cataract operation. Lens implants have certain advantages. They usually eliminate or minimize the problems with image size, side vision and depth perception noted by people who wear cataract eyeglasses. They are also more convenient than contact lenses because they remain in the eye and do not have to be removed, cleaned, and reinserted.