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Joint Base Andrews News

NEWS | July 21, 2017

11 Medical Group warfighter eye center restores vision with cataract surgery

By Kathleen Tyler 11th Medical Support Squadron

August is National Cataract Awareness Month.  The Warfighter Eye Center at the 11th Medical Group keeps an “eye” on healthy vision and performs cataract surgery to correct some vision deficiencies.

 

“A cataract is a condition where the lens of the eye becomes cloudy,” said Dr. (Maj.) William Gensheimer, 11th MDG, warfighter eye center chief of cornea service. “The lens in a normal, healthy eye is clear. As we age, the lens becomes cloudy and forms a cataract. Cataract surgery is an operation to remove the cloudy lens of the eye. During cataract surgery, the cloudy natural lens is preplaced with a clear artificial lens called an intraocular lens.”

 

Age related cataracts develop as we grow older and can take years to develop to the point where vision is affected. Some common symptoms of cataracts that can develop over time include the following:

 

Glare and halos, especially with night driving

Colors may not appear as bright

Vision may become cloudy

A change in the prescription of your eyeglasses

Driving may become difficult at night

Nearsightedness may increase

 

“The initial symptoms of cataracts can be treated with new glasses or by adjusting lighting,” Gensheimer said. “As the condition worsens, surgery is normally recommended to restore vision. Cataract surgery is relatively painless and is one of the most frequently performed surgeries in the United States.”

 

At the 11th MDG warfighter eye center, our highly trained team of ophthalmologists perform cataract surgery with advanced technology. To learn more about cataract surgery and the different options for IOLs and how they work, contact the Warfighter Eye Center for an appointment at (240) 612-1730.