Cataracts
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Todd J Bragin, MD, FACS, PC
Ophthalmologist located in Lynbrook, NY
As you age, your risk of developing cataracts increases. At his practice in Lynbrook, New York, Todd Bragin, MD, PC, a board-certified ophthalmologist, diagnoses, monitors, and treats cataracts. Many times as cataracts develop only eyeglasses are required to improve your vision but if surgery is required, it is done safely with a quick outpatient procedure with small incision, no stitch, state-of-the-art surgery known as phacoemulsification. If you’re concerned about cataracts, call Dr. Bragin, or schedule an appointment online today.
Cataracts Q & A
What are cataracts?
Cataracts develop when the lens in your eye gets cloudy and causes your vision to become dim or blurred. You may feel like you are looking through a cloud or a film. Some of the early signs of cataracts include reduced night vision, glare at night, and need a brighter light for reading.
Cataracts usually develop slowly. You might begin to develop cataracts as early as your 40s, but not have any noticeable effects until your 60s. Even when you start to develop symptoms, it may take years for your condition to progress to the point where surgery is necessary to repair and restore your eyesight.
What causes cataracts?
Cataracts form when the proteins in the lens of your eye clump together, creating a cloudy film. Some of the factors that contribute to your risk of cataracts include:
- Excessive exposure to sunlight
- Smoking
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- Injury such as blunt force trauma
- Certain medications such as Prednisone
If you notice that your eyesight is getting clouded or dim, or that your night vision isn’t as clear making driving difficult, you should schedule an appointment for a comprehensive eye exam.
How are cataracts diagnosed?
Dr. Bragin can identify signs of cataracts during your eye exam. For example, during your routine eye exam, Dr. Bragin uses a slit-lamp microscope to examine your lens as well as your cornea, iris, and other parts of the front of your eye. He also studies your retina, when he examines the back of your eye.
How are cataracts treated?
Dr. Bragin provides treatments for cataracts, depending on the extent of your condition. For example, if you’re only just developing cataracts, he may recommend prescription glasses and regular exams to monitor the progression of your cataracts.
However, if your cataracts are significant, Dr. Bragin will recommend surgery to improve your vision. He performs both traditional phacoemulsifications using ultrasound to break up the cataract, and laser-assisted surgery with an innovative femtosecond laser. This laser gently and quickly makes ultraprecise incisions using minimal to no ultrasound and cuts the cataract into many tiny pieces that he can safely vacuum out.
Surgery for cataracts only requires a tiny incision in your eye, which enables rapid healing, restoring your vision in days instead of months in most cases without sutures. Gone are the days when we have to tell patients that their cataracts are too dense or fragile to have small incision surgery.
Femtosecond laser is in our opinion the greatest advance in cataract surgery in 40 years!
If you’re concerned about cataracts or looking for an expert ophthalmologist who performs state-of-the-art cataract surgery, call Dr. Bragin, or schedule a consultation online today.
