Cataract Treatment And PreventionVision is one of the most important sense humans have. Many people don’t realize how much they need their vision until they lose it. There are several conditions that lead to vision loss or impairment. Many of them such as macular degeneration and glaucoma cause imminent vision loss. Others, like cataracts, are preventable with the appropriate intervention.

What Are Cataracts?

Cataracts are an eye condition that causes the lens of the eye to develop a film and become opaque. This results in blurred or obscured vision. Cataract can happen to one or both eyes, and requires medical intervention to save improve the vision.

Cataracts are the leading cause of vision loss among people over 40 and are the most prevalent cause of blindness worldwide. Although as we age, the risk for cataracts becomes greater there are ways to help prevent the condition from worsening and causing vision loss.

Cataract Causes And Prevention

For many people, cataracts are a natural part of the aging process. The National Eye Institute has determined that more than 68 percent of American over 80 have a cataract or will have had cataract surgery. And, although cataracts often accompany aging, there are ways to help stave off the clouding to help retain vision longer.

Exposure to ultraviolet rays. Sunglasses are one of the best tools to help reduce the risk of cataracts. Your eyes are exposed to ultraviolet A and B rays every time you go out into the sun. Sunglasses with UV blockers can reduce the amount of rays your eyes absorb.

Some experts also suggest that limiting exposure to screens such as television, smartphones and tablets can also help prevent cataracts and vision loss, as these devices also emit lower levels of UV rays.

Smoking – Studies have shown that people who smoke are twice as likely to develop cataracts as non-smokers. Cataracts caused by smoking are among the leading most preventable conditions that affect eye health. The longer and more a person smokes, the more their chances of developing cataracts increases. The sooner a person quits, the more their risk decreases.

Trauma – Eye injuries can cause cataracts to form years after the trauma occurred. Eye protection can help prevent trauma-induced cataracts.

    Other preventable risk factors include:

  • Diabetes
  • Obesity
  • Excessive alcohol consumption

How Is A Cataract Treated?

Cataracts must be surgically removed to improve and/or restore vision. The procedure requires that the cloudy lens be removed from the eye and replaced by an artificial lens. The procedure is performed on an outpatient basis, and does not require an overnight hospital stay. Cataract surgery is continually evolving, and what once required a highly invasive procedure can now be done with lasers and micro-incisions.

Your vision doesn’t have to suffer because of cataracts. Regular visits to your closest Family Eyecare Center location can answer all your vision questions, help determine any vision problems, and design an appropriate course of treatment. Call today to schedule your eye exam, and speak with a trained eye care professional!