Doctors tailoring cataract surgery to suit patients' lifestyles

NEW YORK -- Doctors are now tailoring eye procedures to suit patients' lifestyles.

Robert Skingle faced a terrifying prospect: losing his sight to cataracts -- cloudy areas on the lens of the eye that cause blurry vision.

"Driving late at night or early in the morning when it's still dark, headlights were halos, and that's not good. So I knew I needed to do something," he said.

Skingle went to Dr. Masako Chen at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai. She told him he'd need a surgery called phacoemulsification.

During cataract surgery, the patient's lens is removed and an artificial lens is inserted.

Doctors consult with the patient to choose the right artificial lens to suit their vision needs, whether it's for their job or their hobbies.

"Do they enjoy long-distance activities like golfing? Do they enjoy reading for long periods of time? And so we can kind of make their prescription after cataract surgery whatever they want to meet their lifestyle needs," Chen said.

For Skingle, an antique dealer, seeing details up-close was critical.

"Oh my gosh, the difference is amazing. Things are clearer," he said.

Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness worldwide, and it's often linked to aging. Doctors say the best thing all of us can do to prevent them is wear sunglasses when outside.

Skingle says his eyesight hasn't been this good in decades.

"The sharpness is amazing," he said.

For him, seeing is believing.