Cataract and intraocular lenses
See the best of life, with or without glasses
Understand how aging can affect your vision and take the opportunity to improve your quality of life. Today it is possible to treat cataract and, in many cases, reduce or even eliminate the need for glasses.
- Surgery in about 15 minutes
- Numbing eye drops
- Incision of only 2 mm
See the difference
Drag the handle to compare vision with cataract and after surgery.
With cataract
After surgery
Drag to compare
Where do you want to start?
- What is cataract? With aging, vision gradually becomes blurrier. Find out why. Learn more
- How is the surgery? The only effective treatment for cataract. Quick, with numbing drops. Learn more
- Which lens is best? Some lenses can eliminate the need for glasses. Compare the options. Learn more
- Who has had it? More than 22 million people have received HOYA lenses. Hear their stories. Learn more
Understand
What is cataract
The term "cataract" refers to the loss of transparency of the crystalline lens, a type of lens located behind the iris in the eye. This is a common process with advancing age.
In most people, cataracts begin between ages 40 and 50 and symptoms become apparent gradually. Only an ophthalmologist can order the tests needed to confirm the diagnosis and recommend the best surgical procedure for treatment.
Source: Brazilian Association of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ABCCR).
Signs that deserve attention
- Feeling that vision is blurry
- Constant change in glasses prescription
- Greater sensitivity to light
- Glare and halos around lights
- Faded colors
- Difficulty reading and driving at night
Noticed any of these signs? Take the vision test and talk to your ophthalmologist. Take the tests
- 25%of Brazilians over 50 have cataractFiocruz
- 98%is the success rate of cataract surgeryAmerican Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery
- 28 Mcataract surgeries are performed worldwide every yearABCCR
- 22 Mpeople have received HOYA lenses worldwideHOYA
Step by step
How the surgery works
The only effective treatment for cataract is surgery, and it is recommended based on how much vision is affected, not on the patient's age. It is a microscopic, highly complex procedure, but very safe given current technology and the surgeon's experience.
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Step 1: Evaluation
The ophthalmologist examines your eyes, measures your prescription and recommends the lens best suited to your lifestyle.
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Step 2: Numbing drops
Surgery is done with local anesthesia, usually only numbing eye drops. You stay awake and calm throughout.
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Step 3: Micro-incision
Through an incision of about two millimeters, the cloudy lens is broken into tiny pieces and removed by suction.
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Step 4: New lens
The intraocular lens is implanted in place of the natural lens. In the same surgery it is possible to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism.
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Intraocular lenses
Which lens is best?
Only the ophthalmologist can recommend the best type of intraocular lens for each case, considering current vision, eye health, personality and lifestyle. There are different lens options to correct, besides cataract, near, intermediate and distance vision difficulties, which can eliminate the need for glasses after surgery.
What matters most to you?
Tap the options and see which lenses fit your daily life.
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Trifocal IOL
HOYA Vivinex Gemetric
Focus for distance, intermediate (computer, TV) and near (reading and phone). The broadest option for living independently from glasses.
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Distance
Yes
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Intermediate
Yes
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Near
Yes
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Astigmatism
No
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Trifocal toric IOL
HOYA Vivinex Gemetric Toric
Combines all three distances and also corrects astigmatism in the same lens.
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Distance
Yes
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Intermediate
Yes
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Near
Yes
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Astigmatism
Yes
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Monofocal plus IOL
HOYA Vivinex Impress
Excellent distance vision and better intermediate vision, for activities such as using a computer.
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Distance
Yes
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Intermediate
Yes
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Near
No
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Astigmatism
No
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Monofocal IOL
HOYA iSert 255
Sharp focus for distance. Glasses may be needed for near vision.
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Distance
Yes
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Intermediate
No
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Near
No
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Astigmatism
No
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Monofocal toric IOL
HOYA Vivinex Toric
Distance vision and astigmatism correction.
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Distance
Yes
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Intermediate
No
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Near
No
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Astigmatism
Yes
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Lens comparison chart
| Lens | Distance | Intermediate | Near | Astigmatism |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trifocal IOL HOYA Vivinex Gemetric |
Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Trifocal toric IOL HOYA Vivinex Gemetric Toric |
Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Monofocal plus IOL HOYA Vivinex Impress |
Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Monofocal IOL HOYA iSert 255 |
Yes | No | No | No |
| Monofocal toric IOL HOYA Vivinex Toric |
Yes | No | No | Yes |
HOYA intraocular lenses use advanced technology. HOYA IOLs, small and flexible, come from the factory inside an injector used in surgery to implant them precisely through a minimal incision, with no risk of contamination. They are made of foldable acrylic material approved by the FDA (USA), PMDA (Japan), CE Mark (Europe), CFDA (China) and ANVISA (Brazil).
HOYA is a well-established Japanese company and a pioneer of blue-light-filtering lenses, which matter for visual comfort and for protecting the eyes from sunlight and from the artificial light of phones, computers and other digital devices.
Illustrative tool. Only the ophthalmologist recommends the ideal lens for your case.
Who has had it
What do people who had surgery say?
Patients share what the experience and the results were like.
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Frequently asked questions about cataract
Is cataract a disease of age?
It is more common with advancing age and usually starts between 40 and 50, but surgery is recommended based on how much vision is affected, not on age.
Is there treatment with eye drops or medication?
No. The only effective treatment for cataract is surgery, which replaces the cloudy lens with an intraocular lens.
Is cataract surgery safe?
Yes. Although it is a microscopic, highly complex procedure, it is very safe given current technology and the surgeon's experience.
Does it hurt? Do I need to stay in the hospital?
It is usually done with numbing drops, without pain, and recovery is usually quick. Your ophthalmologist will explain the details of your case.
Will I need glasses after surgery?
It depends on the lens chosen. There are lenses that correct distance, intermediate and near vision and can eliminate the need for glasses. Only the ophthalmologist recommends the most suitable one for you.
Can I correct nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism in the same surgery?
Yes. Cataract surgery can also correct nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism, depending on the lens chosen.
Can cataract "come back"?
The removed lens does not grow back. Over time, the capsule that holds the lens may become cloudy in some patients, which is solved with a simple laser procedure recommended by the ophthalmologist.
How do I know if I have cataract?
Only an exam by an ophthalmologist confirms it. The tests on this site help you notice signs, but they do not replace an appointment.