No medication is available for the treatment of cataracts. In most cases, however, a simple surgical procedure can reverse vision loss. Cataract surgery is one of the most common and safe surgeries performed in the United States, and it improves the vision of about 90 percent of those who undergo it.

The most common cataract procedure is phacoemulsification, or small-incision cataract surgery, in which the doctor inserts a small ultrasound device into the eye. The ultrasound waves soften the lens and break it up so that it can be removed by suction. The other method, called extracapsular surgery, involves making a larger incision on the side of the cornea. The doctor removes the cloudy part of the lens in one piece and then finishes removal of the lens by suction.

Once the cloudy lens is removed, it's usually replaced with an artificial lens, called an intraocular lens (IOL). If a patient can't have an artificial lens (because he has another eye disease, for example), then glasses or a soft contact lens will be used. If both eyes need cataracts removed, the eye surgeon will do the surgery on one eye at a time, usually about a month or two apart.

A cataract diagnosis doesn't necessarily mean someone needs surgery right away, though. If his vision is only a bit blurry but he can still read, drive, and perform his ordinary tasks, he may be able to get along fine for a while. And delaying the surgery normally won't make it more difficult later or cause any long-term damage.

Ways to help someone deal with cataracts without surgery:

• Make sure that his eyeglass or contact lens prescription is as accurate as possible.
• Help him purchase antiglare sunglasses.
• Experiment to see what kind of lighting is best for him at home. Generally, increasing the lighting or using brighter lighting is beneficial, although glare may bother him.
• See if a magnifying glass helps him with his reading.
• Encourage him not to drive at night.

Some experts believe that antioxidants -- like selenium, vitamin A, and vitamins C and E -- can play a role in stemming cataract development. Ask the doctor what she thinks.