Confirming the cataract is the problem
Blurred vision, glare and fading color have several possible causes. The evaluation begins with your vision, with and without your current glasses, and, where helpful, a glare test that shows how much a cataract degrades vision in bright light, which the standard chart in a dim room can miss. The slit lamp examination grades the cataract's density and type. A dilated examination of the retina and optic nerve rules out other causes, such as macular degeneration or glaucoma, that would change the plan or the expected result.
Measuring for the lens
If surgery is appropriate, the eye is measured for the implant. Depending on your eyes, testing may include:
- Optical biometry: the eye's length and the cornea's curvature, from which the lens power is calculated
- Corneal topography and tomography: astigmatism and corneal regularity, which decide whether a toric lens is needed
- Endothelial cell count and pachymetry in eyes where the cornea's health affects the plan
- Tear film assessment, because an unstable surface distorts the measurements and should be treated first
- Optical coherence tomography of the macula, so that retinal conditions are known before surgery
Contact lenses affect the corneal measurements, so you will be asked to leave them out beforehand: typically soft lenses for several days, rigid lenses for several weeks.
The conversation
Your surgeon reviews the findings with you: how much of your vision loss the cataract accounts for, whether surgery is likely to help, and, if so, which lens fits your eyes and your priorities. You will hear what a standard lens and each premium option would mean for glasses afterward, what insurance covers and what it does not, and the small risks of surgery. If your cataract is early and not yet limiting you, the honest recommendation may be to wait and re-check in a year.
What to bring
Photo identification, your insurance card, your current glasses, a list of medications including any prostate medication such as tamsulosin, which affects the pupil during surgery, and a driver, because your eyes will be dilated.
Is this right for your eyes?
Nothing on this page is a diagnosis. Whether this is the right choice for you is decided by a full examination at one of our 4 offices: Pasadena, Huntington Beach, Woodland Hills and Beverly Hills.
About this content: This page was written with the assistance of AI tools and reviewed for medical accuracy by Dr. Bavand Youssefzadeh, DO. It is general information, not medical advice, and does not replace an eye examination. Individual results vary. Read our medical disclaimer.
