Q: I am a 48 years old man having a problem in one of my eyes. My left eye has a distant vision power of 1+ whereas my right eye's power is changing constantly, which is 6+ at present. My blood sugar levels and other relevant tests are normal. The doctor told me that my lens is getting swollen due to excessive hydration thereby causing the change in curvature resulting in change in number. He says that when there is need for surgical removal of lens due to opacity, my number will automatically be reduced, so I should wait for cataract to appear in near future. Can I undergo surgical removal of the healthy lens without waiting for the cataract to appear? Can I have an artificial lens thereby correcting my eyesight?

A:This is called clear lens extraction. In your age group, many would have undergone cataract surgery, and the procedure and results will be like them. There are risks involved, although they are negligible. You will lose the potential to see distance and near, and for one or both of them you may have to wear glasses. You need to discuss this with your eye surgeon.