{"id":31250,"date":"2025-06-03T14:55:05","date_gmt":"2025-06-03T12:55:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eyelaser.at\/when-to-have-cataract-surgery-at-the-latest-the-right-time-for-surgery\/"},"modified":"2026-08-14T19:52:39","modified_gmt":"2026-08-14T17:52:39","slug":"when-to-have-cataract-surgery-at-the-latest-the-right-time-for-surgery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eyelaser.at\/en\/when-to-have-cataract-surgery-at-the-latest-the-right-time-for-surgery\/","title":{"rendered":"When to have cataract surgery at the latest: The right time for surgery"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A diagnosis of <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/eyelaser.at\/en\/cataracts-see-clearly-again\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/eyelaser.at\/grauer-star-katarakt\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">cataracts<\/a><\/strong> is not uncommon \u2013 especially in old age. But while <strong>cataract surgery<\/strong> is now one of the safest procedures of all, many sufferers hesitate for a long time before making a decision, due to fear of complications or uncertainty as to whether the time is right.  <\/p>\n\n<!--more-->\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But what happens if <strong>cataract surgery is performed too late<\/strong>? Can your <strong>eyesight suffer permanently<\/strong> &#8211; or can the <strong>operation become more difficult<\/strong>? And is there really a point at which it is &#8220;too late&#8221;?  <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In this article you will find out:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Which <strong>symptoms<\/strong> are a clear signal for surgery<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Why an early decision can safeguard your <strong>visual acuity<\/strong> <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The <strong>risks<\/strong> associated with advanced <strong>clouding of the crystalline lens<\/strong> <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>And how modern <strong>artificial lenses<\/strong> open up new perspectives for a better quality of life<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cataracts &#8211; why the right time for surgery is crucial  <\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Cataracts<\/strong> \u2013 medically known as <strong>cataract<\/strong> \u2013 are among the most common <strong>eye diseases in old age<\/strong>. This involves a <strong>gradual clouding of the eye&#8217;s lens<\/strong>, which no longer clearly directs light to the <strong>retina<\/strong>. Initially, the symptoms appear harmless \u2013 a slight <strong>gray haze<\/strong>, decreasing <strong>visual acuity<\/strong>, dazzling light. However, if the <strong>clouded lens<\/strong> is not treated in time, <strong>vision<\/strong> can deteriorate permanently \u2013 in extreme cases, <strong>blindness<\/strong> may even result.   <\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How the cataract becomes noticeable  <\/h3>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <strong>symptoms of cataracts<\/strong> develop slowly. The most common signs include <\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A <strong>gradual loss of visual acuity<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Difficulty reading, especially in dim light<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Double vision<\/strong> or <strong>sensitivity to glare<\/strong>, e.g. when driving a car<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Blurred colors and an overall &#8220;milky&#8221; vision<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Frequent change of <strong>spectacle prescription<\/strong> without any real benefit<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the early stages, this can often be compensated for with <strong>visual aids<\/strong> such as glasses or contact lenses. However, as <strong>the lens<\/strong> becomes increasingly <strong>cloudy<\/strong>, the eye loses <strong>vision<\/strong>, regardless of the <strong>lens power<\/strong> of the glasses. <\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What happens to the lens if you wait too long<\/h3>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If a <strong>cataract<\/strong> is not treated in time, the <strong>clouding of the lens<\/strong> increases continuously. The <strong>cloudy lens of the eye<\/strong> lets less and less light through and the image on the <strong>retina<\/strong> becomes blurred &#8211; even the most modern visual aids can no longer compensate. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <strong>operation<\/strong> can also be <strong>more difficult<\/strong> if the cataract is too advanced. A severely hardened <strong>lens<\/strong> is more difficult to remove and the risk of <strong>complications<\/strong> during the <strong>procedure<\/strong> increases. Adjacent structures such as the <strong>cornea<\/strong> or <strong>pupil<\/strong> can also be subject to greater strain.  <\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When should I have cataract surgery?<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Cataract surgery<\/strong> is one of the safest and most common procedures in ophthalmology today &#8211; but many people still ask themselves the question: <strong>when is the right time to have cataract surgery?<\/strong> The answer depends on the individual level of suffering, the extent of the <strong>clouding of the lens<\/strong> and the recommendation of the <strong>treating ophthalmologist<\/strong>. The important thing to remember is that waiting is not automatically better &#8211; on the contrary.   <\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Symptoms that are a clear signal for cataract surgery  <\/h3>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Surgery<\/strong> should be seriously considered at the latest when <strong>cataracts<\/strong> impair <strong>everyday vision<\/strong>. Warning signs include <\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Deterioration in visual acuity<\/strong> despite current glasses<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sensitivity to light<\/strong>, especially at night or against the light<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Double vision<\/strong> in one eye<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Insecurity when walking or driving<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Difficulty reading, recognizing faces or colors<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These <strong>symptoms<\/strong> indicate that the <strong>lens of the eye is already severely clouded<\/strong> &#8211; and that <strong>vision<\/strong> has deteriorated so significantly that it can no longer be compensated for with visual aids.<\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why &#8220;too early&#8221; is rare, but &#8220;too late&#8221; can be risky<\/h3>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Many people hesitate out of fear or uncertainty &#8211; and hope that their <strong>vision<\/strong> will stabilize on its own. However, <strong>premature cataract surgery<\/strong> is rarely problematic, as the <strong>procedure is minimally invasive<\/strong>, <strong>performed<\/strong>on an outpatient basis and under <strong>local anesthetic<\/strong>. Today, modern procedures such as the <strong>Lensar laser<\/strong> or the implantation of <strong>aspherical lenses<\/strong> offer the highest level of <strong>safety and quality<\/strong> &#8211; even at the onset of <strong>cataracts<\/strong>.  <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, if you wait too long, <strong>cataract surgery<\/strong> can become more difficult. A hardened or overripe <strong>lens<\/strong> increases the risk of <strong>complications<\/strong>, for example to the <strong>cornea<\/strong>, <strong>pupil<\/strong> or when <strong>inserting an artificial lens<\/strong> (IOL). <\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is there a point at which surgery is no longer possible?  <\/h3>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In very rare cases &#8211; such as severe <strong>clouding<\/strong>, additional <strong>eye diseases<\/strong> such as <strong>glaucoma<\/strong> or damage to the <strong>retina<\/strong> &#8211; cataracts can progress so far <strong>without treatment<\/strong> that <strong>surgery<\/strong> is <strong>no longer useful or possible<\/strong>. The <strong>risk of blindness<\/strong> also increases if a necessary <strong>cataract operation<\/strong> is delayed for years. <\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Risks of cataract surgery performed too late<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Anyone who <strong>leaves cataracts untreated for too long<\/strong> risks more than just a deterioration in <strong>visual acuity<\/strong>. As <strong>the lens<\/strong> becomes increasingly <strong>cloudy<\/strong>, the challenges increase &#8211; both in everyday life and during the subsequent <strong>operation itself<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Restrictions in everyday life and when driving  <\/h3>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <strong>clouded lens of the eye<\/strong> primarily affects <strong>visual performance in difficult lighting conditions<\/strong> &#8211; for example at dusk, in backlighting or glare from headlights. <strong>Participation in road traffic<\/strong> is particularly critical. Many sufferers underestimate how severely their <strong>vision<\/strong> is already impaired &#8211; this can be a danger to themselves and others.  <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Further consequences in everyday life:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Falls due to <strong>reduced depth perception<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Unsteady when climbing stairs or on uneven paths<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Difficulty reading, watching television or recognizing faces<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Loss of independence and mobility<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Further challenges with advanced clouding of the lens<\/h3>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The more <strong>advanced<\/strong> the <strong>cataract<\/strong>, the more demanding the surgical procedure becomes. A severely hardened, overripe <strong>lens<\/strong> is more difficult to remove, which poses challenges even for experienced <strong>surgeons<\/strong>. In addition, the placement of the <strong>intraocular lens (IOL)<\/strong> can be technically more demanding &#8211; especially if there is also a <strong>corneal curvature<\/strong> or an unstable <strong>capsular structure<\/strong>.  <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Aftercare is also more complex: more frequent check-ups, longer recovery times and the risk of <strong>multifocal lenses<\/strong> or other <strong>premium lenses<\/strong> not working as desired are typical accompanying factors.<\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Possible complications for the retina and intraocular pressure<\/h3>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An untreated cataract can also negatively affect other structures in the <strong>eye<\/strong>. The increasing <strong>density of the lens<\/strong> can: <\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Increase <strong>intraocular pressure<\/strong> and thus promote <strong>glaucoma<\/strong> <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Making it difficult to see the <strong>retina<\/strong> during examinations &#8211; which delays the diagnosis of other diseases<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lead to an <strong>inflammatory reaction<\/strong> in the eye<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Increase the risk of <strong>retinal detachment<\/strong> in extreme cases<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If <strong>cataract surgery<\/strong> is performed too late, in rare cases it is no longer possible to fully restore <strong>vision<\/strong> despite technical correction.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Advantages of timely cataract surgery  <\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Timely cataract surgery<\/strong> not only provides more safety in everyday life, but also opens up significantly better options for <strong>lens selection<\/strong> and long-term <strong>quality of vision<\/strong>. The earlier <strong>cataract surgery<\/strong> is performed, the easier and less risky the <strong>procedure<\/strong> is &#8211; and the greater the chance of <strong>restoring<\/strong>full <strong>vision<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">See better before your eyesight deteriorates significantly<\/h3>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If the <strong>cloudy lens<\/strong> is removed before it becomes severely hardened or vision is completely clouded, patients benefit from:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Shorter surgery duration and faster recovery times<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Lower complication rate<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Better fixation of the artificial lens<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>A clear view without a long period of uncertainty<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In addition, visual adaptation is easier after the procedure &#8211; the brain processes the new visual impressions more quickly if the <strong>visual acuity<\/strong> was <strong>not already greatly reduced<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Modern lenses &#8211; from standard to multifocal lenses<\/h3>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you decide to have <strong>cataract surgery<\/strong> at an early stage, you can choose from a variety of modern <strong>artificial lenses<\/strong> &#8211; individually adapted to your own <strong>visual needs<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Monofocal lenses<\/strong> for good vision at a distance<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Multifocal lenses<\/strong> for more independence from glasses &#8211; both near and far<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Toric lenses<\/strong> for the simultaneous correction of <strong>astigmatism<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Aspheric IOLs<\/strong> for better contrast and reduced light scattering<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A diagnosis of cataracts is not uncommon \u2013 especially in old age. But while cataract surgery is now one of&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":30958,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-31250","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-grauer-star-en"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/eyelaser.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31250","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/eyelaser.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/eyelaser.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eyelaser.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eyelaser.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31250"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/eyelaser.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31250\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eyelaser.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30958"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/eyelaser.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31250"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eyelaser.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31250"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eyelaser.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31250"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}