The lens in your eye focuses light and helps you see.

When you have a cataract, the lens becomes cloudy and gray, which makes it hard to see.

Cataract surgery removes the cloudiness and replaces your natural lens with a new, plastic lens.

It can help improve your vision and relieve the fear of losing your sight.

The surgery is very common, and you'll probably go home the same day.

There are different kinds of surgery, but here's one way it's done ...

The cornea is the clear front covering of the eye, and behind that is the lens capsule, which contains the cloudy lens.

First, two small cuts are made in the cornea.

Then a small hole is made in the front of the lens capsule, so the doctor can get to the cataract.

A small tool called a phaco probe is inserted into the lens capsule.

The probe uses sound waves to break the cataract into tiny pieces.

The doctor then uses suction to remove the cataract, but the lens capsule stays in place.

After the cataract is removed, a replacement lens-called an intraocular lens, or "IOL"-is usually placed inside the lens capsule.

It takes the place of your eye's natural lens.

This completes the surgery, and the cloudiness is gone.

It's normal to have blurred vision right after your surgery, and you'll probably need to use eye drops for a while.

And you may need to wear glasses or contacts after surgery to see well.

Be sure to protect your eye, and watch for signs of an infection.