A cataract is a clouding of the lens within the eye. A clear lens in the eye focuses light. This lets the eye see images sharply. With age, the lens slowly becomes cloudy. The cloudy lens is a cataract. A cataract scatters light and makes it hard for the eye to focus. Cataracts often form in both eyes, but one lens may cloud faster than the other.
Cataracts often occur with normal aging. In some cases, cataracts can occur in infants or children and might be associated with some birth defects, or, are hereditary. Eye disease, previous eye surgery, chronic diseases such as diabetes or excessive use of steroid medications are also causes of the development of cataracts. And in the event of a severe eye injury, cataracts can develop several months or even years later and are known as traumatic cataracts.
Your lens may cloud so slowly that you don’t notice any vision changes at first. But as the cataract gets worse, the eye has a harder time focusing. In early stages, glasses may help you see better. As the lens gets cloudier, your doctor may recommend surgery to restore your vision.
The two most common symptoms of cataracts are cloudy vision and blurred vision.
Other symptoms may include:
An evaluation will help determine more about the vision problems you are having and whether cataracts are the cause. This evaluation includes a medical history, vision tests and an eye exam. The results will help to determine the best treatment options for you.
After an eye exam, you and your eye care professional will discuss treatment options. A new eyeglass or contact lens prescription may improve your vision for awhile. But surgery is the only way to remove a cataract and replace your cloudy lens. If your cataract isn’t keeping you from daily activities, you may want to wait to have it removed. Together you and your eye care professional will decide what is best for you.
Cataract surgery involves the removal of your eye’s cloudy lens and replacing it with a clear artificial lens implant, called an intraocular lens, or IOL. The surgery is often performed as an outpatient procedure and does not require an overnight hospital stay.
Discuss in detail with your ophthalmologist;
This will help you to make an informed decision about your cataract surgery.
If you have cataracts, or want to decrease your risk of developing cataracts, you should adopt the following lifestyle changes:
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