CataractsAre Developing? WhatAreSignsThat
Asthebodyages,theeyesagerightalongwithit. Forpeople40yearsandolder,theriskofdeveloping cataractsincreaseswitheachpassingyear.
Cataractsappearwhenthelensofyoureyestarts tobecomediscolored,causingyourvisionto becomecloudy.ReadonasaHackensack,NJ optometristtalksaboutcataracts,howthey develop,who’smostatrisk,andtheimportanceof earlytreatment.
HowDoCataractsDevelop?
Withagingcomesabreakdownofthematerialsand structuresthatmakeuptheeyes.Thelens,whichsitsbehind youririsorthecoloredpartoftheeye,focusesincominglight anddirectsitontotheretina.Cataractsareacondition wherethelensbecomescloudy.
Youreyeconsistsmainlyofproteinandwater,whichis supposedtoallowlighttopassthroughthelens.Asyoureyes age,thisprotein-watermixcanstarttoclumptogetherand cloudsthelens.Asthelensbecomesmorecloudy,yourvision becomeslessclear.Agingcanalsocausethelenstoharden, makingitlessflexible.This,too,cancontributetocloudy vision.
SignsandSymptomsofCataractstoWatchfor
Sincecataractsusuallydevelopgradually,itcanbehardtospotsymptomsduringtheearly stages.Infact,it’snotuncommonforsomeonetoadjusttheirlifestyletoaccommodatethe subtlechangesinvisionthatoccur.Forthesereasons,ithelpstoknowtheearlysignsand symptomsofcataracts.
Hereareafewtokeepalookoutfor:
Colorsappearfaded
Clouded,dim,orblurredvision
Difficultydrivingatnight
Seeinghalosaroundlights
Lightandglaresensitivity
Doublevision
Blurriness
Needingabrighterlightforreadingandotherclose-upactivities
Frequentchangesinyoureyeglassorcontactlensprescription
CataractRiskFactors
Diabetics
PeopleofAfricandescent
PeopleofHispanicdescent
Pre-existingeyeconditions
Eyetrauma
Afamilyhistoryofcataracts
Smokers
Drinkers
CataractTreatment
Theseverityandcomplexityofyourconditionwilldeterminethetypeofcataracttreatmentyou’ll require.Firstoff,anoptometristwillconductaseriesofeyeteststoassesstheconditionofyoureyes.
Thetypesoftestsadministeredmayinclude:
Visualacuitytest
Slit-lampexams
Retinalevaluations
Whilesurgicalremovalisthestandardmethodforeliminatingcataracts,otherless-invasiveformsof treatmentmayimproveyourvisionifthisconditioniscaughtintheearlystages.
Ifyouhavemorequestionsorwishtoscheduleaconsultation,feelfreetocallourHackensack,NJ optometryofficetoday.
SourceURL:https://bergenoptometry.com/what-are-signs-that-cataracts-are-developing/