Cataracts are a common eye problem mostly related to ageing. It refers to a clouding of the lens inside the eye, which starts affecting vision as rays of light cannot penetrate through the cloudy lens. Cataracts are very common in older people but fortunately are also easily curable due to advancements in modern cataract eye surgery. In this blog, we’re going to take a look at a few symptoms of the disease and how to spot it so treatment can start as early as possible.
Causes of Cataracts:
- Even though old age is the most common cause of cataracts, other causes include injury that leads to the tissues of our eye’s lens to be changed, which leads to clouding of the eye.
- Some rare inherited genetic disorders can also increase the risk of cataracts.
- Other causes include past eye surgery or medical conditions like diabetes and also prolonged use of medicational steroids.
Symptoms of Cataract:
The symptoms of cataracts can often be very noticeable. In case you experience these symptoms, you should seek the help of your ophthalmologist immediately.
- Dimming, blurring, or clouding of vision.
- Facing problems with vision at night.
- Increased sensitivity to light and glare.
- The need for brighter lights when reading or other activities where our eyes need to focus.
- Experiencing “halos” in vision when looking at lights.
- Change eye power and requiring changes in eyeglass or contact lens prescription.
- Yellowing or fading of colours.
- Experiencing double vision.
Cataract Prevention TipsHere are some tips for preventing cataracts:
- Stop smoking! Smoking harms our eyes in a major way and can lead to an increasing the risk for cataracts.
- Have a healthy diet and exercise regularly. Even though this is common advice but the importance of a healthy diet and regular exercise cannot be stressed enough. Not only is it good for our eyes but also for our bodies and health in general.
- Reduce alcohol use. One of the risk factors of cataracts is alcohol use and by reducing it, you’re lowering your chances for cataracts.
- Protect your eyes using UV-blocking sunglasses. Prolonged exposure to the harmful UV rays of the sun is another major risk factor for cataracts.
- Have regular eye examinations. The best way to prevent any eye disease is to have a regular schedule of eye examinations so that your ophthalmologist can identify problems before they become serious, leading to a better treatment strategy.
Consult Your Ophthalmologist
Even though trying to understand your eyes and the various diseases it can suffer from is noble but you should always entrust the words of a professional over your independent research. If you want to know more about cataracts, you should consult with your ophthalmologist to find out how cataracts can affect you or your loved ones.
Article: Cataract Eye Surgery Treatment – Symptoms and Causes of Cataract
Author: Dr. Abhishek Goel | Jul 15 2019 | UPDATED 02:00 IST
*The views expressed here are solely those of the author in his private capacity and do not in any way represent the views of Centre for Sight.
