Ophthalmologists Give Crucial Information on Cataracts
Philadelphia, PA, August 12, 2004 – Sanjay Kamat, DO and Vincent Young, MD, ophthalmologists at Albert Einstein Medical Center, have seen the impact that cataracts,
an eye condition that affects people in their 50s and older, can have on daily life. Yet, they assure that it can be easily
treated and patients can return to their normal activities with significantly improved vision.
A cataract, a clouding of the natural lens of the eye, causes individuals to experience increasingly blurry vision, difficulty
with reading and decreased color sensitivity. For instance, shades of red and green do not seem as vibrant, and it is often
hard to distinguish between shades of dark blue and black.
“When first experiencing symptoms, the simplest thing to do to get peace of mind is to make an appointment with an ophthalmologist
and to get an initial exam. There are other reasons why you may get blurry vision, and you need to make sure that it is not
another vision- threatening problem,” says Dr. Kamat.
Once the patient is diagnosed with cataracts, surgery may not be immediately necessary. Often, new glasses are first prescribed
to improve the patient’s vision. As sight progressively worsens, discussions begin about cataract surgery. Out of all surgeries,
99 percent are elective and, unless there is the potential for complete blindness, surgery is up to the patient.
“We do not put pressure on a patient to have the surgery. It is a personal decision and each individual is different. What
is the right choice for one patient may not be the correct decision for another. However, when a patient selects surgery as
his/her treatment, we bolster that decision whole-heartedly,” explains Dr. Young, Chairman of the Division of Ophthalmology.
According to Dr. Kamat, an experienced cataract surgeon at Einstein Center One, the surgery takes about 15 to 30 minutes per
eye and is a painless outpatient surgery that removes the cataract by vacuum through a single, small incision. With an hour
dedicated to pre-operative preparation and an hour for post-operative recovery, the patient is able to leave the outpatient
surgery center approximately three hours after arriving.
The healing process takes approximately a month and includes post-operative check-ups, medicated eye drops and an eye shield
for sleeping. Very often though, patients are seeing very well within a day or two. After a month, most patients are ready
for a new prescription for glasses in order to fine-tune their vision.
“Colors seem more vibrant, lights are brighter and vision is better overall,” says Dr. Kamat. “Improvement in vision varies
from person to person. Some patients have better vision immediately, but most need the full month to heal,” he adds.
According to the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS), the general success rate of cataract surgery
is 98 percent.
If left untreated for a long period of time, cataracts can cause glaucoma and can eventually lead to legal blindness, warns
Dr. Kamat.
Albert Einstein Healthcare Network, a member of the Jefferson Health System, provides healthcare services through Albert Einstein
Medical Center, Germantown Community Health Services, Willow Terrace (a nursing home), Einstein at Elkins Park, MossRehab,
Willowcrest (a center for subacute care), Belmont Behavioral Health and a number of outpatient and satellite locations. Einstein
also operates a primary care network, Einstein Neighborhood Healthcare. For more information, visit www.einstein.edu or call
1-800-EINSTEIN.
Publish date: August 12, 2004
