evergreen eye center: what you should know about cataracts

Cataracts are a very common occurrence typically found in aging adults. According to Dr. Brice Nicholson of Evergreen Eye Center, “Cataracts are the natural discoloration of the lens in the eye brought on by age, trauma, or a medical condition.”

Because cataracts develop so slowly over a long period of time, many people don’t even know they have them. Often, patients go in for routine exams and are surprised to hear they have cataracts. It is not until after cataract removal surgery, restoring their clear vision, that they understand how much their sight was compromised.

If left untreated, cataracts cause total blindness. In fact, the ailment is the leading cause of blindness in the world, accounting for 50% of all vision impairment diagnoses. Upon detecting cataracts, Dr. Nicholson assesses each patient’s individual needs.“I tell patients about any level of clouding, and we’ll discuss their options based on how much it is really bothering them or impacting their lifestyle,” said Nicholson. He says there are four options for healthy patients that vary depending on the level of results the patient wants to achieve. During surgery, the clouded lens is removed, and a clear artificial lens called an intraocular lens is implanted. “It is the same size and shape as an M&M,” Nicholson describes.“I open the candy shell and remove the chocolate, replacing it with a little plastic IOL inside where the chocolate was.” Patients will feel a bit scratchy and teary-eyed following the surgery, but the eye should feel comfortable by the time one goes to bed that night.

Fear of the surgery is easily assuaged when Dr. Nicholson tells patients that injections around the eye are rarely needed. He uses numbing drops instead of needles and the patient won’t see anything except a bright light that appears, a bit like a kaleidoscope.

As the year draws to a close, many patients want to fit in cataract removal procedures now that their deductible is made or to use money in their health savings or social security accounts. To avoid scheduling issues when appointments are harder to come by, Evergreen Eye Center advises you to get your evaluation early and book your procedure in advance.

vLYNN CASTLE

Dr. Brice Nicholson

Evergreen Eye Center has locations in Tacoma, Auburn, Federal Way, Burien, and Seattle.

For Additional Information Evergreen Eye Center

evergreeneye.org

SHOWCASE MAGAZINE 49