Cataracts are a very common eye condition. They are usually associated with aging and up to 70 percent of people age 75 and over have either had or have cataracts. A cataract forms when proteins that cloud a formerly naturally clear lens impair vision. Knowing how a cataract forms can make it easier to tell if you have cataracts.
Symptoms Of A Cataract
Symptoms include cloudy vision, halos from light, sensitivity to light, difficulty seeing in low light situations, frequently changing eyeglass or contact lens prescriptions, and double vision in one eye. Health experts recommend yearly eye-exams starting at age 40 to get a vision baseline to better track and treat vision changes as they occur.
Most cataracts develop slowly and don’t disturb your eyesight for a while, so these early cases are often treated, or managed, with prescription eyeglasses. Often, these eyeglasses are treated with anti-glare lenses (to reduce night-time driving’s halo effect). These initial changes in vision may not be enough to get you to the eye doctor, as cataracts may be too small to notice vision loss.
Eventually, cataracts often begin to interfere with your vision due to the cloudiness in the lens of the eye causing vision loss, tinted vision (either grown or yellow) and sensitivity to light, among other symptoms. Cataracts can result in permanent vision loss if left untreated. Before your vision becomes seriously impaired, you’ll likely notice a strong sensitivity to light and glare, and that eyeglasses no longer work to correct your vision like they used to. These changes may signal the need for cataract surgery. Cataract surgery is a proven and effective procedure for removing cataracts.
How a Cataract Forms
You know what a cataract is, and who is most often affected, but how exactly does a cataract form or develop? The lens, where cataracts form, is positioned behind the iris, or the colored part of your eye. The lens’ purpose is to focus light that passes into your eye and produce clear, sharp images on the retina — the light-sensitive membrane in the eye that functions like the film in a camera.
As you age, the lenses in your eyes become more flexible and transparent. With age, the lenses will also thicken. This is when age-related (and other medical conditions) can cause tissues to build up within the lens, resulting in break down and the clumping together of proteins. This leads to the clouding of small areas within the lens.
As the cataract continues to develop, clouding becomes denser and involves more of the lens. The result is the scattering and blocking of light, preventing a sharply defined image from reaching your retina, leaving you with cloudy vision and, if left untreated, eventual vision loss.
Tips to Lessen Cataracts Risk
You may not be able to avoid developing cataracts entirely, but there are a few ways to strengthen the odds in your favor when it comes to slowing the development or progression of cataracts.
- Avoid heavy drinking: Excessive alcohol use can lead to an increased risk of cataracts
- Avoid Smoking: Ask your doctor for suggestions and strategies for quitting if necessary
- Wear Sunglasses with UV protection: UV light from the sun can be a contributing factor in the development of cataracts
- Have regular eye examinations: Ask your eye doctor for a recommended schedule for eye exams and stick to it.
Afraid you may have cataracts? Schedule a consultation with Ellis Eye to learn more about cataract surgery!
