Cataract: How Do You Know When It Is Time for Surgery?
You no longer need to wait for a cataract to ripen. The right time is when your vision stops letting you do what you need to do.
A cataract is clouding of the eye's natural lens, and it is a normal part of ageing rather than a disease you have caught. Nearly everyone develops one eventually. The question patients bring to clinic is almost always about timing.
The old advice is out of date
Many patients have been told to wait until the cataract is mature or ripe. That guidance belonged to an era of larger incisions and different techniques. Today, waiting for a very dense cataract makes surgery harder, not easier — the lens becomes more difficult to remove and recovery can be slower. There is no advantage in delaying once vision is genuinely affecting your life.
Signs that it is affecting you
- Glare and halos around lights, particularly troublesome when driving at night
- Colours looking faded or yellowed, whites appearing dull
- Needing brighter and brighter light to read
- Frequent changes of spectacle power that never quite solve the problem
- Double or ghosted vision in one eye
- Difficulty recognising faces, reading the Quran or a newspaper, or seeing steps clearly
The practical test is simple: is your sight stopping you from doing something you want or need to do? If yes, it is reasonable to proceed. If not, review is enough.
What the operation involves
The clouded lens is removed and an artificial intraocular lens is placed in its position. It is done under local anaesthesia, usually as day care, and takes well under an hour. Most patients notice clearer vision within days, with the eye settling over a few weeks. You will be given drops on a schedule and asked to avoid dust, rubbing the eye, and heavy lifting for a period.
Before you fix a date
Bring a list of all your medicines, and tell us about diabetes, blood pressure, blood thinners, and any prostate medication — some of these affect planning. Diabetic patients should have the retina examined as well, since cataract and diabetic retinal changes often coexist and both affect the final result.
Sudden loss of vision, eye pain with redness and vomiting, flashes with a curtain across the vision, or seeing many new floaters are not cataract symptoms. They need urgent assessment on the same day.
Our ophthalmology clinic runs through the week for cataract assessment, spectacle correction and general eye complaints.
This article is general health information and is not a substitute for medical advice. Symptoms vary between individuals — please consult a doctor about your own situation. In an emergency, our casualty at Chettipadi is open 24×7.
