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How You Know It's Time For Cataract Surgery? Truth Revealed

Dr. Elhalis | Eye Surgeon

208,658 views

Deciding when to have cataract surgery? We look past the standard eye chart to help you decide. We look at why relying solely on visual acuity can be misleading and how to assess the true impact of cataract symptoms on your daily life. Almost everyone arrives with one of two problems: told your cataract is not bad enough yet, or told it is time and not sure you believe it. Here is the honest answer.

🔔 New here? Subscribe for straight answers about your eyes, from a surgeon who takes the time to explain them. ⁨ ⁨@DrElhalis⁩

To help clarify your situation, I have created a questionnaire that outlines the specific milestones to consider. This is the first step in taking control of your eye health and determining if you are ready for intervention.

📄FREE ONE-PAGE QUESTIONNAIRE
The nine questions used to measure how much a cataract is actually affecting somebody. Print it, answer it, bring it to your appointment.
https://www.elhalismd.com/cataract-qu...

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⏱️ CHAPTERS
0:00 Told to wait, or told it's time
1:16 Why the eye chart can be wrong about you
2:00 New glasses didn't help
2:25 Told it's time for cataract surgery
3:58 What bad enough actually means
4:34 The nine-question cataract questionnaire
5:55 Are you satisfied with your vision?
6:13 Is the cataract really the cause?
7:37 The cataract surgery window
8:03 What happens if you wait too long for cataract surgery?
8:51 The next decision is the lens implant

👁️ IN THIS VIDEO
✅ Why an eye chart cannot measure the thing that is actually bothering you
✅ The two scenarios I see as a second opinion, and how each one ends
✅ The nine questions surgeons use to measure a cataract, and the one almost nobody asks out loud
✅ The three other problems I rule out before I ever blame the cataract
✅ Why there is no deadline for cataract surgery, and what the window looks like instead

👨‍⚕️ ABOUT DR. ELHALIS
Dr. Hussain Elhalis is a board-certified cataract and refractive surgeon at Ocala Eye in Ocala, Florida, with fellowship training in cornea and refractive surgery and more than 10,000 cataract surgeries performed. This channel is here to help you understand your eyes and make a confident decision, in plain English, long before you ever sit in the exam chair.

🔗 OFFICIAL LINKS
Website: https://www.elhalismd.com
Book an appointment: https://www.OcalaEye.com

#cataractsurgery #cataracts #eyesurgeon #ophthalmology #vision

⚠️ MEDICAL DISCLAIMER
This video is general education, not medical advice. It is not a substitute for a diagnosis, an examination or treatment from a qualified eye doctor, and watching it does not create a doctor patient relationship. Every eye is different and results vary from person to person. Talk with your own ophthalmologist before making any decision about cataract surgery.

20 Comments

@DrElhalis Creator 3 weeks ago Pinned

Thanks for watching. I started this channel to explain your eyes the way I would if you were sitting across from me.

I read every comment and I answer as many as I can. If there's something about your eyes you've never had properly explained, tell me down here. Most of what I make started as somebody's question in the comments.

And if you're going through this right now, I'd like to hear where you are with it. What you write helps the next person reading through these before their own appointment.

If it helped, hit like and subscribe. It puts these videos in front of the person sitting at home with the same question.

All the best,
Dr. Elhalis

@CherylBoelk 13 days ago

I am nurse and I had no idea. I was accusing the computer people not helping me see. When I discovered I needed surgery and I thank God I got surgery.

@heatherroach7817 2 weeks ago

For 5 years I'd said I couldn't see properly with my glasses and couldn't see without them. Finally my optometrist said I needed cataract replacement. The operation was free under the NHS as I'm in UK and only took about 15 mins. I had one eye done and the other was done 6 months later, which is usual in UK. The new lenses cured my life-long short sight, which feels like a miracle to me.

@juliepatten1293 13 days ago

The astonishment I had when I experienced TRUE WHITE again after my cataract surgery was life changing. I was only 68 (70 now) and white objects were beige or sepia. I thought I wasn’t washing my whites properly! Lo and behold, everything is brighter! I don’t need glasses for driving anymore.

@liamcage7208 11 days ago

My brother is an artist and professional video editor. His vision was fine as far as clarity was concerned but he noticed that everything was gradually looking more amber in color. It was so gradual at first that it went unnoticed. By the time he noticed it, it had effected his work. To compensate for the amber effect he added more blues to his finished work.

@jg8867 2 weeks ago

30 years ago when I was 50 I couldn’t see out of my left eye it was like looking through wax paper. I had surgery, my brother is an ophthalmologist I went out of town for surgery. I am 80 now, went to a new ophthalmologist who said I should do the surgery now before my health deteriorates. I can see just fine out of my right eye. My health is fine, I just had external DCR surgery done by an ocular plastic surgeon. I’m not rushing for cataract surgery. Thanks for the video. I’m looking for another doctor for a second opinion.

@jmw65rmw42 3 weeks ago

Great video. You're an excellent speaker, and I appreciate the straight-forward information on when to get cataract surgery.

@daria-q6k 3 weeks ago

wow I learned more from you than I did from my doctor(optometrist) two weeks ago.

@bradhembree2310 2 weeks ago

This is spot on for me. I have cataracts, but the doctor hasn't recommended surgery. I have IOH, but no optic nerve damage, or macular degeneration. I avoid night driving and faces at a distance are getting harder to ID. My last visit he said the change in my prescription was changing due to the cataracts.

@markbentley4800 3 weeks ago (edited)

Both my grandfather, before implants and my dad had early cataracts that needed surgery. At 55 they said mine were marginal and I could wait. I elected to do them then and the vision increase was very noticeable. I understood at the time from wearing contacts that correcting for distance reduced near vision as I got older. As I value my near vision for some of my hobbies and don't mind wearing glasses and now multi-focal lenses, I elected for no correction for distance. It was great decision.

@DonaldLandau-ev8lq 2 weeks ago

Extremely helpful; Dr. explained the issues better wasn’t have ever heard before. Must be a terrific Dr., well done.

@mymusicalsons 2 weeks ago

Excellent and helpful video. Thank you!

@lenoraberendt750 3 weeks ago

This is extremely helpful information. Thank you so much!

@rafaelmadrigal1999 6 days ago

Thank you for your professional advice.

@motorcityneedlearts-sy1dv 2 weeks ago (edited)

Pain post op three years no improvement thank god only did one eye

@TarasZpilot 3 weeks ago

A few years ago my regular eye doctor recommended cataract surgery for my left eye which was causing my blurry vision. I opted for a second opinion and was directed to the best eye surgeon in my area. He examined me and stated I didn't need cataract surgery however my cornea was not smooth and needed to be replaced. He performed a corneal transplant and my vision was instantly perfect. Still clear today and I always recommend a second opinion.

@BlueKnightN1DLP 2 weeks ago

I'm almost 65 went in for standard eye exam, they said I have cateracts, my vision is not that bad, no cloudyness etc.., they wanted me to start the drops right away so they can proceed with surgery. Nope not going to do it.