Cataracts
seem to be a more common eye health and vision problem that we hear about
today. In part this is because as patients age you are no longer willing to
accept the limitations that decreased vision from cataracts can impose on your
day to day activities. This, combined with ability to restore vision loss from
cataracts in a safe, effective and predictable manner with cataract surgery and
lens implants for vision correction motivates more patients, at early ages, to
seek solutions to help us maintain an active, engaged and productive lifestyle.
About Cataracts
Approximately
25 million Americans have cataracts, which cause cloudy, blurry or dim
vision and often develop with advancing age. As everyone grows older, the
lenses of their eyes thicken and become cloudier. Eventually, they may find it
more difficult to read street signs. Colors may seem dull. These symptoms may
signal cataracts, which affect about 70 percent of people by age 75.
Fortunately, cataracts can be corrected with surgery. Ophthalmologists who are
cataract surgeons perform around three million cataract surgeries each year to
restore vision to those patients. Here are some facts people should know about
cataracts.
- Age isn’t the only risk factor for
cataracts. Though
most everyone will develop cataracts with age, recent studies show that lifestyle and behavior can influence
when and how severely you develop cataracts. Diabetes, extensive
exposure to sunlight, smoking, obesity, high blood pressure and certain
ethnicities have all been linked to increased risk of cataracts. Eye
injuries, prior eye surgery and long-term use of steroid medication,
perhaps for asthma, allergies or breathing problems or arthritis- can also
result in cataracts. If you have any of these and are experiencing blurry
or cloudy vision, difficulty with night vision especially glare or haloes,
you should schedule an eye exam and
alert your eye doctor.
- Cataracts cannot be prevented, but
you can lower your risk. Wearing UV-blocking sunglasses and
brimmed hats when outside can help. Several studies suggest that eating
more vitamin C-rich foods may delay how fast cataracts form. Also, avoid
smoking cigarettes, which have been shown to increase the risk of cataract
development.
- Surgery may help improve more than
just your vision. During the procedure, the natural clouded
lens is replaced with an artificial lens called an intraocular lens,
or IOL, which should improve your vision significantly. Patients have a
variety of lenses to choose from, each with different benefits. Lens implants today can correct a full
range of vision and help you see clearly at far, arm’s length and
near-without being dependent on eyeglasses! While this is great for
many patients, studies have shown that cataract surgery can improve
quality of life and reduce the risk of falling which is a potentially
serious risk and problem for seniors. If you think a cataract is possibly
interfering with your ability to see well you should schedule an eye exam and alert your eye doctor.
If
you or some you know is experiencing cataract symptoms such as cloudy foggy
vision, glare or difficult night driving and would like to learn more about
cataract surgery & lens implants please call Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in
Birmingham at 205-930-0930, visit Alabama Eye &
Cataract Center,
Google+ or www.facebook.com/alabamaeyeandcataractcenter.
