If your vision has become cloudy or things you see are not as bright as they used to be, a cataract may have developed in one or both of your eyes. A cataract is the clouding of the normally clear lens of your eye. Cataracts can affect distance vision and cause intolerance to glare, especially when driving at night. Cataracts can also cause difficulty with reading and seeing a facial expression of a person on television.
The eye’s lens is a transparent structure that sits behind the iris (the colored part of the eye) in the area of the pupil. It focuses images on the light-sensitive retina; the retina then transforms light to a neurologic signal that the brain interprets as vision, essentially taking a picture and sending it to the brain.
Most age-related cataracts develop slowly and do not immediately disturb eyesight. You do not have to be a senior citizen to get this type of cataract. They can begin forming in our 40s and 50s. It is after age 60 that we notice the visual effects of cataracts. By age 75, 70 percent of the population have cataracts or have had cataract surgery.
The cause of cataracts is unknown. The lens is composed of water and protein, with specific proteins responsible for maintaining clarity. It is believed that changes occur in these protein structures as we age. The lens slowly becomes less flexible, less transparent and thicker, with areas of the lens becoming cloudy. Usually cataracts develop in both eyes at the same time, but it is not uncommon for the cataract in one eye to advance more rapidly.
Many factors increase the risk of developing cataracts, such as advanced age, diabetes, family history, smoking and previous eye injury or inflammation. Other factors include prolonged steroid use (especially combined use of oral and inhaled steroids), extensive exposure to sunlight, radiation treatments and previous eye surgery. The long-term use of statins and phenothiazines is weakly associated with cataracts.
Infections during pregnancy such as toxoplasmosis, cytomegalovirus, syphilis, rubella or herpes simplex can cause cataracts in the infant (congenital cataracts).
Symptoms of cataracts include a painless blurring of vision, glare or light sensitivity, poor night vision, double vision in one eye, needing a brighter light to read, colors looking faded or yellow or a halo appearing around lights. The cloudiness, pattern and location of the cataract can vary. If the cloudiness is to the side of your field of vision, you may not know you have a cataract.
If you have any of these symptoms, check with your eye care professional immediately. A cataract that interferes with the performance of daily activities is considered clinically significant. Cataracts are detected through a comprehensive eye examination, including a visual acuity test to measure your eyesight at various distances and a dilated eye exam (using eye drops to enlarge the pupils). Your eye care professional will use a special magnifying lens to examine your retina and optic nerve for signs of damage or other problems such as a large opaque cataract. Tonometry measures the pressure inside your eye. Numbing drops are used to perform this test.
If you have cataracts, your eye care professional will refer you to an ophthalmologist, who will explain the risks, benefits, alternatives and expected outcomes of cataract surgery. If you have cataracts in both eyes that require surgery, the surgery will be performed separately, usually four to eight weeks apart.
Most cataract surgery is now performed under local anesthesia on an outpatient basis in a hospital or surgery center. It is considered elective surgery and takes less than 30 minutes. Intraocular lenses are routinely implanted during cataract surgery to provide the focusing power necessary after removal of the natural lens. The new lens is part of you, so there is no need for contact lenses. Cataract surgery with an intraocular lens implant is a very safe procedure with successful return of useful vision in more than 95 percent of patients.
More than 1.5 million cataract surgeries are performed yearly in the United States, with serious complications occurring in only one in a thousand cases. The National Eye Institute is focusing a number of studies on the factors associated with the development of age-related cataracts, such as sunlight exposure, vitamin supplements and genetics. Visit www.nei.nih.gov.
Focus on Foresight
There is no way to prevent cataracts, but you can decrease your risk.
• Wear UV-protective sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat outside
• Avoid sun exposure between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
• Eat a well-balanced diet rich in antioxidants
• Get regular exercise and rest
• Do not smoke
• If diabetic, keep blood sugar under control
• If pregnant, receive regular prenatal care
• Consult your doctor about pre-pregnancy rubella immunizations
The content of this article is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Read This Next
All Reads on This Topic
Read Them All
Introducing
FX Excursions
FX Excursions offers the chance for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in destinations around the world.
#globility
Insta FeedDaily
Oct 25, 2024Make Denver’s Limelight Hotel Your Next Must-Stay Colorado Hotel
Within steps (literally) of Denver’s Union Station, Limelight Denver provides an ideal downtown hotel base for an urban Rocky Mountain getaway. Light-filled guestrooms and a selection of luxury suites reflect a sleek, contemporary design that still manages to capture the essence of this Colorado location with rich wood accents, nature-inspired color palettes and floor-to-ceiling windows providing views of one of the capital city’s iconic districts.
Sponsored Content
Royal Air Maroc Relaunches Direct Casablanca–Beijing Route, Debuts Toronto Flight
As part of its international network expansion, Royal Air Maroc will reinstate the direct Casablanca–Beijing route initially launched in January 2020 and suspended just a few weeks later due to the health crisis.
Daily
Oct 25, 2024Longwood Gardens Unveils New Experience
Longwood Gardens, America’s greatest center for horticultural display, located in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, recently unveiled Longwood Reimagined: A New Garden Experience. The new display celebrates the final stage of the garden’s biggest revitalization project in its 100-year history. Guests are invited to celebrate the grand opening with two weeks of festivities, including a members-only preview and special events.
September 2024
Oct 25, 2024Sail on an Eco-Expedition Into the Wilds of the Amazon Rainforest
The Amazon Rainforest sat at the top of my bucket list for years, and I'd long wanted to explore the city of Manaus, otherwise known as the gilded city of the jungle. In the 1800s the rubber industry made Manaus the richest city in South America, earning it the nickname the Paris of the Tropics.
Daily
Oct 25, 2024Amtrak Debuts New Integration with Google for More Sustainable Transportation Choices
Amtrak and Google partnered to help travelers make more sustainable transportation decisions when searching inter-city travel. Using a newly launched, direct data integration, travelers using Google will find the most up-to-date Amtrak departure times, trip durations and fares right on the Google Search results page. Once customers select a specific train, they can click through to Amtrak.com to complete the booking without needing to re-enter trip information.
Discover Germany and Its Rich Craft Traditions
Daily
Oct 24, 20247 European Escapes to Take This Fall
Daily
Oct 24, 2024Hotel Brand Expands into Cruising with New Journey
Daily
Oct 24, 2024Make Vail, Colorado, Your Autumn Escape
Daily
Oct 23, 2024Daily
Oct 23, 2024Celebrate 250th Anniversary of Jane Austen in Hampshire, England, in 2025
Whether you’re a lover of the Pride and Prejudice book, 2005 film of the same name or any of Jane Austen’s other classic stories and film adaptations, 2025 is the year to celebrate one of the world’s most iconic authors. Next year marks the 250th anniversary of Austen’s birth and travelers are invited to venture around Hampshire — Austen’s birthplace, where she wrote all of her novels and where she died.
Sponsored Content
Colombia: A Different Kind of Beauty
Colombia’s beauty defies description — it’s that unique, that special, that different — and travelers are taking notice as 2023 marked the country’s best year for tourism, welcoming more than 6 million international travelers. The Country of Beauty looks to continue growing and enhancing its regions and communities in 2024 and beyond.
eFlyer Reviews
Oct 23, 2024The Salil Hotel Riverside Review
There are luxury hotels throughout Bangkok that deftly combine minimalist style, decorative accents, historic Thai iconography and luxuriant amenities. While Salil Hotel Riverside Bangkok, opened in late 2023, falls into the 5-star boutique hotel category, it is, by design, not a run-of-the-mill luxury property. The lobby makes an immediate impression, while different public spaces, rooms and suites immerse one into an ambiance rooted in Thai history, all while capturing a Bangkok that is a touch irreverent and forward-looking.
ShareThis