It’s essential to take care of your eyes and maintain excellent eye health. One way to do this is by seeing an ophthalmology specialist every year, preferably one who has experience with cataract surgery. Cataracts are clouding in the eye lens, making it difficult or impossible for you to see clearly. This condition usually occurs when you get older and may be hereditary. If left untreated, vision problems caused by cataracts can lead to blindness. Fortunately, there are ophthalmology specialists in Hamilton, NJ, who specialize in cataract surgery. The specialists in ophthalmology in Hamilton decide on the treatment after evaluating the eye problem you have.
What is Ophthalmology?
Ophthalmology is the medical and surgical care of the eyes and vision problems. An ophthalmologist has at least seven years of education after college and spends three more years in a residency program to become a board-certified doctor of medicine (MD).
Before the Board can approve them, all applicants must pass written and oral tests regarding diseases of the eye. Also, they must complete mandatory continuing education credits regularly as required by some states such as New Jersey.
What Do Ophthalmologists Do?
A wide range of conditions can affect your eyesight, including glaucoma, corneal disorders like keratoconus. There is also diabetic retinopathy, which involves damage caused to blood vessels in your retina. Other eye conditions include macular degeneration and amblyopia (lazy eye), which doesn’t allow the brain to process signals from one of your eyes.
Ophthalmologists treat these conditions with medicine or surgery and diagnose diseases like cataracts, tumors, and systemic diseases like high blood pressure. A cataract emerges as a clouding in the lens of your eye that you usually think of as a problem only if it causes blurry vision, which is why many people don’t treat them right away.
How Do I Find Out if I Need Surgery?
The first step is to make an appointment with your primary care doctor, who will refer you to a specialist in ophthalmology. The specialist will then examine your eyes and determine what type of treatment is necessary.
Treating Cataracts During Surgery
A specialist will perform the cataract surgery under local anesthesia, but some are done while the patient is under general anesthesia. This helps the surgeon get better results by seeing your eye more clearly without eye movement or blinking interfering with his vision. The medics will replace your eye lens with an artificial one called an intraocular lens (IOL).
After cataract surgery, your specialist may use different lenses to correct specific vision problems such as astigmatism. They also consider nearsightedness and farsightedness. Other types of IOLs may be used depending on your age, occupation, and lifestyle. A cataract specialist will work with you to determine which one is best for you.
There are plenty of ways to take care of your eyes and maintain excellent eye health. One way is by seeing an ophthalmologist every year, preferably one who has experience with cataract surgery. Cataracts are clouding in the eye lens, making it difficult or impossible for you to see clearly. Fortunately, there are ophthalmology specialists who can help.