Cataract surgery has advantages for active seniors. (Advertising Supplement).

Over time, the lens located within the eye can gradually become cloudy, causing a person's sight to slowly worsen. This condition is known as a cataract and is the leading cause of blindness worldwide. Though millions of people reportedly have cataracts, it is a condition that usually is reversible with outpatient surgery.

As modern medicine improves, we find that people tend to live longer and want to sustain their active lifestyles. Because loss of sight due to cataracts is gradual, many people fail to realize how much visual clarity has been lost over the years. Surgically removing cataracts to improve vision offers the rewarding benefit of clear vision with little side effects or negative outcomes.

Although aging is the most common cause of cataracts, family history could occasionally play a role in the development of the condition. Those who are diabetic, have had prolonged use of steroids, or who have had traumatic injury to the eye also have an increased risk of developing the condition.

Because cataracts develop over time, it is important to see an ophthalmologist - a physician who is specialized in medically and surgically treating eye diseases - periodically for thorough eye exams. Some of the symptoms of cataracts include:

* Gradual blurring of vision

* Glare or sensitivity to light

* Frequent eyeglass prescription changes

* Double vision or "ghosts" in the involved eye

* The fading or yellowing of colors

In advanced cases, the cataract can be seen in the pupil as a cloudy appearance over the center of the eye. Depending on the severity of the condition, the ophthalmologist may, or may not, recommend surgery. Many patients choose to surgically remove cataracts once their ability to drive becomes impaired. To maintain a California driver's license, the Department of Motor Vehicles requires that at least one eye have 20/40 vision or better, so many people with cataracts in one eye can - although with some difficulty - operate a vehicle. Patients have also opted for cataract surgery once they have been unable to work or participate in a hobby that requires clear eyesight.

Once surgery has been recommended, patients can rest assured knowing that cataract surgery is the most common and most successful surgery performed today - scoring at a very high success rate nationally. In fact, studies have shown that cataract surgery is the most cost-effective medical intervention offered to aging adults to improve quality of life - in other words, "the best bang for the buck."

The success of cataract surgery is largely due to a more advanced surgical technique that is used today called the phacoemulsification technique. It allows for a much smaller incision to be made in the eye than was once performed. During the procedure, the patient receives local (injected) or topical (eye drops) anesthesia and feels very little discomfort throughout the process. Ophthalmologists use a state-of-the-art ultrasound probe to carefully break up and remove the clouded lens, and then replace it with a clear artificial lens (a.k.a. 102). The lens is permanently implanted in the eye and cannot be felt. The procedure takes around half an hour to perform, and patients may return home shortly after the surgery is completed. After a routine check-up by the physician the next day, the patient is able to return to normal daily activity with few restrictions. Full visual recovery is achieved usually within few weeks.

Although cataracts do not "reappear" within the repaired eye, the backside of the outer capsule (membrane) can become cloudy months or even years after cataracts have been removed. In these circumstances, a quick and painless surgical procedure called a YAG laser can clear the membrane and post-cataract surgery vision returns. The procedure can be done in the ophthalmologist's office.

Convenience and affordability also make cataract surgery a worthwhile investment. Before the late 1980s, cataract surgery was conducted on admitted hospital patients. Conducting the procedure on an outpatient basis has decreased costs considerably.

In the San Fernando Valley, we have access to the Weiland Ambulatory Surgery Center, an excellent outpatient facility located on the Roscoe Blvd. Campus of Northridge Hospital Medical Center where surgeons conduct more than 10 cataract surgeries per day. A skilled team of physicians, nurses and technicians, who have worked together at the center for almost a decade, meets the needs of each cataract patient from start to finish. Our pre-operative staff assists patients in completing paperwork by reviewing the information by phone in advance. They also call the patient the day prior to surgery to answer any questions and to review the presurgery protocol. Upon arrival, the nursing staff prepares the patient for surgery while answering any questions the family members may have. Our post-operative staff immediately follows up with each patient, attending to every patient need during the recovery process.

After recovering from cataract surgery, patients experience clear eyesight and often may not need distance prescription glasses to achieve 20/20 to 20/40 vision. Patients are also able to experience a newfound lifestyle that comes from driving independently and participating in fulfilling activities once again. It's easy to see why cataract surgery is a clear choice for active people.

Dr. Leon Partamian is a board-certified ophthalmologist and currently serves as Chief of Staff at Northridge Hospital Medical Center. For more information about Northridge Hospital's Weiland Ambulatory Surgery Center, please call [phone].