Like death and taxes, add another to the list of things we can’t avoid. If we live long enough, we all get cataracts: a progressive clouding of the lenses in our eyes.

As we get older, our natural clear lenses turn cloudy. It is usually a slow, progressive process that takes years, said Dr. Jason Sullivan, a board-certified ophthalmologist at the Eye Clinic who specializes in treating and removing cataracts.

“The changes are subtle; many people don’t realize how much their vision has changed,” he says.

People who are getting cataracts often complain that “they’re not seeing as good as they used to” or “it’s hard to drive at night because of glare.” They’re just as likely to say “I can’t read my Bible anymore” or “I can’t see my preacher’s face the way I used to.”

You can’t feel cataracts, and you don’t necessarily need surgery. “If you are happy with your vision, leave it alone,” Dr. Sullivan said.

Changing prescription could buy time

Though there’s no pill or eye drop to make cataracts go away, often just a change in glasses will correct vision for a while, he said. “Since cataracts will change the prescription you need in your glasses, correcting your prescription can buy you time until you need surgery.”

Cataract surgery has become common. “I take out the cloudy lens and replace it with a crystal clear, manmade implant lens that stays with you the rest of your life,” says Dr. Sullivan. “The implant helps you focus your eyesight, sometimes without the need for glasses.”

“By taking precise measurements from the eye, we can, in a sense, take the prescription from your glasses and put it inside your eye so that you may not need glasses for distance vision after surgery.” Many of Dr. Sullivan’s patients see 20/20 the day after surgery.

Before cataract surgery, Dr. Sullivan meets with the patient to assess the need. With each patient, he answers questions and explains the potential risks.

The surgery itself is performed as an outpatient procedure. Dr. Sullivan says it often takes less than 15 minutes. He uses eye drops to numb the eye. Some patients will need medication in an IV to combat anxiety and help them relax. Only one eye is operated on at a time. The patient returns in about two weeks to get the cataract removed from the second eye.

Most of his patients, he says, undergo cataract surgery without the need for needles or stitches. The patient leaves the surgery center without a patch on the eye and can see right away. Patients differ on how quickly their eyesight becomes clear after surgery, and patients need eye drops for several weeks to help the healing process.

As technology progresses, cataract surgery has become easier on the patient, with fewer complications and much better results, said Dr. Sullivan.

New implants do more

A new type of implant, for example, is available to correct astigmatism. “This has helped a lot of my patients become less dependent on glasses after surgery and has allowed them to have a more flexible lifestyle.”

Another new implant, called Restore, has the ability to focus both far away and up close, said Dr. Sullivan. “Studies show that 80 percent of people who have Restore implants never have to wear glasses again. The remaining 20 percent usually need glasses just part-time.” Some side effects of the Restore implant include seeing rings around lights and needing good light to read.

Most insurance companies, including Medicare, cover the cost of cataract surgery and a basic implant. At this point, though, insurance does not cover the additional cost of the new astigmatism-correction implant or the Restor implant, he said.

Dr. Sullivan, who has been practicing ophthalmology in Jackson for 11 years, finds his specialty in medicine to be quite satisfying. “You have a role in restoring eyesight,” he says. “What greater thing is that?”

Featured Doctor

Jason Sullivan, M.D. Ophthalmology

Dr. Sullivan, board certified in ophthalmology, is a graduate of the University of Tennessee, College of Medicine, in Memphis. His internship was at Methodist Hospital of Memphis and his residency was with the Department of Ophthalmology at UT in Memphis. Dr. Sullivan worked for two years at a clinic in Memphis before moving to Jackson in 2001. He has a special interest in glaucoma.