Light is the key to our ability to see. Without it, we would have no vision at all. This is because the entire mechanism behind human vision is based on light entering the eye. Even at night, tiny amounts of light give us the ability to pick out shadows and shapes. Let’s look at the importance of light for your vision.
Importance of Light for Your Vision
Of course, the role of light in our eyesight is pretty complex. The interaction between light and our eyes continues to shape the way we see for the rest of our lives. To gain a better appreciation for the incredible nature of our sight, let’s have a look at how light affects our vision and the interactions that can occur throughout your lifetime.
How Do We See?
The act of seeing is something most of us do every day without a second thought. However, it’s actually a complex process that can be a little mind-bending if you think about it. This is how our sight works.
- When light enters your eye it travels through the cornea, which helps to focus light towards the center of your eye.
- From the cornea, light goes into the pupil. Your pupil changes in size to control how much light is allowed to enter.
- Whatever light the pupil allows in will then get focused again through the lens of your eye towards your retina.
- Your retina is at the back of your eye. It’s made of light-sensitive tissue and contains special cells called photoreceptors. When light reaches your retina, these special cells transform light into electrical signals.
- These electrical signals are sent to the optic nerve behind your eye, which then transmits them up into your brain.
- Finally, your brain interprets these electrical signals and transforms them into images. This process creates what we recognize as sight.
Sight, like all of our other senses, is interpretive. We entirely rely on light to create the images we see, which means light can also change the way we view the world around us.
Light and Cataracts
Cataracts are a clouding of the lens of your eye. As cataracts block light from focusing into the retina properly, they can make it very difficult to see. Cataracts may make your vision blurry or foggy. Unfortunately, cataracts are quite common in older people. In fact, more than half of Americans over the age of 80 have either had a cataract in the past or currently have one.
The treatment for cataracts is often surgery with your Orange County eye surgeon. While there is some variation based on the individual case, most cataract surgeries involve the removal of the clouded lens. An artificial, intraocular lens is then put in place to replace the missing lens. This artificial lens will help to focus light, restoring your ability to see.
Upgrading Your Intraocular Lens
Artificial intraocular lenses are a huge improvement in technology that allows your doctor to treat cataracts and restore most if not all of your eyesight. However, this technology isn’t perfect. To improve your post-cataract surgery experience, more eye surgeons are suggesting the use of a light adjustable lens in Orange County.
These lenses can actually be treated with UV light to adjust the shape of the lens to improve your vision without additional corrective lenses. Most people require three to five treatments, but they also have better long-term outcomes in regard to their sight. Overall, you are more likely to have 20/20 vision six months following your cataract surgery if you use a light adjustable lens.
To learn more about these specialized lenses, talk to your local eye surgeon.