44 The Courier sun • HEALTH • october 2, 2014 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.couriersun.com Queens Courier – October 2, 2014 Eye-Opening Advances in Cataract Surgery Advances in the way cataract surgery is performed have meant better vision and an easier operation for many patients. “Many people wait as long as they can before deciding to have a cataract removed, hesitant to have surgery” says Andrew Gewirtz, MD, an ophthalmologist at North Shore Queens Eye Medicine in Little Neck. “Once they do have the procedure, they’re amazed at how much their vision has improved. We recommend that people have the surgery when a cataract affects quality of life.” A cataract is a clouding of the lens in the eye that affects vision. It can develop in one or both eyes, usually the result of the natural aging process. Symptoms include blurred or hazy vision, double vision, or the sensation of a “film” over the eyes; sensitivity to light; or a new eyeglass prescription that does not improve sight. The only treatment is surgery, which involves replacing the clouded natural lens of the eye with a synthetic lens called an intraocular lens, or IOL. It’s almost always performed under local anesthesia in an outpatient setting and takes less than an hour. Advances include ultrasound technology that allows for tiny incisions measuring less than one-tenth of an inch. The result is generally faster healing and a quicker recovery. When vision is restored, most people wish they had done it sooner, according to Dr. Gewirtz. For more information or to make an appointment, call 718-225-5656 or visit www.northshorequeenseye. com. ADVERTORIAL
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