or generations, nay — millennia, people have accepted poor vision in later years as an inevitable consequence of aging. But refinements in cataract surgery procedures and technological advances in lens replacement have changed this perception dramatically. In the United States, where cataract surgery is the number one therapeutic surgical procedure performed on individuals 65 and older, Medicare pays $3.4 billion a year for 1 million of the 1.3 million cataract procedures performed annually.

Surgery to remove the diseased lens is the only effective treatment for cataract. Neither diet nor medications have not been shown to stop cataract formation — except that in some diabetics, clouding and vision may clear when the diabetes comes under control and anti-oxidants may slow down the process to some extent. Cataract surgery is now a frequently performed operation in most parts of the world. More than one million cataract procedures are performed every year, and in the majority of those cases, the diseased tissue is replaced with an artificial device known as an intraocular lens implant.

The purpose of this section is to provide you with information about cataracts. This includes descriptions of different types of cataract; the anatomy of the eye; and surgery of the eye. At the end of this introductory section we have included a Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) page and an email address where you can obtain more information. However, professional staff members cannot ethically comment on the specific details of an individual's medical condition without having personally examined the patient.

The information on this web site is presented as an educational service of the Bores Eye Institute. This material is not a substitute for professional care. If you are having any problems with your eyes, you should see your ophthalmologist for diagnosis and treatment.