All About Cataracts & Cataract Surgery
You’ve probably heard the term “cataracts” – and know it involves the eye – but maybe you’re not quite sure about the specifics. The term cataract refers to the clouding of the lens of the eye. If you consider that the lens of the eye is similar to the lens of a camera, it’s easy to understand that the lens needs to be clear to allow the light and images to pass through. When the lens isn’t clear, vision is cloudy and blurry.
Causes of Cataracts
Cataracts are directly related to age. In fact, up until about the age of 45, an individual’s eye lens can change. This process allows the lens of the eye to focus quickly on objects. As an individual ages, the proteins located within the eye lens start to break down and deteriorate. Because of this process, the lens becomes cloudy, and the individual’s vision appears blurry.
Besides aging, there are other conditions that can speed up the formation of cataracts (this list is not exhaustive):
- Smoking
- Diabetes
- Eye Injury or Inflammation
- Excessive Exposure to Sunlight
- Exposure to Radiation
- Steroid use
Symptoms You May Experience
The development of cataracts is painless and happens slowly, often over an extended period. Individuals will find that their vision gets progressively worse. By the time an individual reaches the age of about 75 years, they are likely to have cataracts.
Here are some specific symptoms those with cataracts have (this list is not exhaustive):
- Foggy or cloudy vision
- Sensitivity to glares
- Color intensity loss
- Night vision problems
- Changes in eyeglass prescriptions often
Diagnosing Cataracts
If you suspect that you may have cataracts, your eye doctor can confirm the diagnosis by conducting a standard eye exam and slit-lamp examination. In rare cases, other tests may be needed.
Cataracts Treatment
Depending on the severity of your cataracts, your eye doctor may recommend the usage of magnifying glasses, eyeglass prescription changes or sunglasses. Ultimately, surgery is the only treatment for cataracts. Cataracts surgery is typically done when you are having difficulty driving, walking or reading glare with bright lights.
If you decide to have cataracts surgery, it’s important that you realize that 20/20 vision may not be achieved and is particularly true if you suffer from other eye diseases such as macular degeneration.
If you believe you have cataracts, contact Zeldes Eye Center at (248) 737-6955 to set up an appointment.
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