Blurry Photos on Parents' Phone May Signal Cataract Risk

The Lunar New Year holiday offers a precious opportunity for scattered families to reunite and check on each other's well-being. It can also reveal subtle health changes in parents that may have gone unnoticed. Parents might casually mention difficulty following TV subtitles, or photos of grandchildren taken on their phones may appear out of focus. These seemingly minor changes could signal that elderly parents' eye health needs attention.

The medical community's focus has recently shifted from simply extending life to maintaining quality daily functioning for as long as possible. Vision is the physical function most directly linked to preserving this "functional daily life." Gradually declining eyesight not only reduces daily choices but also shrinks one's living radius and social activities. Proactive management is essential, as vision loss can directly affect both quality of life and safety.

'Discomfort' Becomes 'Withdrawal': Untreated Cataracts Raise Fall Risk by 36%

Cataracts are among the most common eye diseases diminishing quality of life for the elderly. The condition causes the eye's lens to become cloudy, blurring vision. Early symptoms—slightly blurred text or dull colors—are easily mistaken for presbyopia. However, as the lens degenerates and light refraction changes, objects may appear yellowish and nighttime glare worsens, increasing accident risk.

A large-scale international cohort study found that patients with cataracts and other major age-related eye diseases had significantly higher risks of falls and fractures—36% and 28% respectively—compared to those without such conditions. Vision impairment has become a factor threatening the physical safety of elderly people, beyond mere inconvenience.

Same Surgery, Different Lives: 'Vision Design' Makes the Difference

The only treatment for cataracts is surgery to remove the clouded lens and insert an artificial intraocular lens (IOL). Advances in medical technology have established the safety of the procedure itself. The key question now is what kind of vision patients will have after surgery. Even with identical surgical procedures, visual outcomes vary depending on the type of IOL implanted.

IOLs are broadly divided into monofocal and multifocal lenses. Monofocal lenses provide stable, clear vision at a specific distance but require glasses or reading aids to see at other distances. Multifocal lenses, as the name suggests, have multiple focal points, enabling vision across near, intermediate, and far distances. Their main advantage is reducing dependence on reading glasses or spectacles.

Trifocal lenses featuring "ENLIGHTEN" technology enhance intermediate-distance vision—frequently used in daily life—and smoothly connect vision across all distances for more stable focus transitions. These lenses are preferred by patients who frequently use smartphones and tablet PCs at very close range, as well as "active seniors" who enjoy diverse daily activities. Additionally, non-diffractive extended depth of focus lenses utilizing "X-Wave" technology minimize glare and halos, providing visual clarity comparable to monofocal lenses. These characteristics make them a reliable option for patients who frequently drive at night or are sensitive to glare.

Post-Surgery Satisfaction: Wider Vision Range Increases Activity Levels

The range of vision provided by implanted IOLs also appears to influence patients' approach to life after surgery. According to a survey conducted last year by global company Alcon among 525 cataract surgery patients aged 60 and older in Korea, activity levels differed notably by lens type. Among multifocal lens recipients, 70.4% reported increased physical activity, compared to 56.7% of monofocal lens recipients. Social activity participation was also higher among multifocal lens recipients at 62.0%, versus 49.3% for monofocal lens recipients. This suggests that even with identical surgical procedures, post-operative vitality can differ depending on what kind of vision patients expect and which lens they choose.

"The standard for cataract surgery has recently shifted beyond immediate post-operative vision to whether stable visual quality is maintained over time," said Dr. Lee Jong-ho, Chief Director of Seoul Bright World Eye Clinic. "When choosing an IOL, patients should comprehensively consider whether sufficient clinical evidence and usage experience have accumulated to verify reproducibility and stability."

He added: "Even high-function IOLs with the latest technology are not suitable for all patients. The key to improving seniors' quality of life is selecting an IOL through consultation with an ophthalmology specialist, based on various factors including individual eye health, living environment, occupation, and long-term visual quality satisfaction."