Cataracts affect about 65 million people around the world, making this condition a leading cause of vision loss and blindness in adults.
At in LOCATION1, part of our job is to educate our patients on all matters related to eye health, and below you’ll find useful information on cataracts and how we can treat them.
What are Cataracts?
Cataracts are a clouding of the eye’s natural lens.
For vision to be clear and crisp, the lens must be able to refract light onto the retina. When the lens becomes cloudy due to a cataract, less light is able to pass through.
How Do Cataracts Affect Vision?
Living with cataracts has been described as viewing the world through a foggy or dusty window. Over time, things begin to appear blurred or hazy, and colors may seem dull.
Other symptoms of cataracts include seeing double or ghosted images, sensitivity to light, poor night vision and seeing colors as if through a yellow filter.
Cataracts are progressive, so symptoms tend to worsen with time.
Why Do Cataracts Form?
Cataracts often develop as a natural part of the aging process.
Normally, babies are born with perfectly clear and flexible lenses. As we age, the lens stiffens and loses clarity.
Cataracts generally start to develop around age 40, when the proteins within the lens begin to break down. In many people, the lens grows noticeably cloudy in their 60’s or 70’s, interfering with normal vision.
Aside from aging, cataracts can be caused by other factors, including:
- Eye injury
- Eye surgery
- Prolonged and unprotected sunlight exposure
- Using certain medications
- Genetics
- Certain medical conditions
- Smoking
- Radiation treatments
In rare cases, cataracts may be present at birth.
How are Cataracts Treated?
The only way to treat cataracts is to remove them with cataract surgery. During this common, safe procedure, the natural, cloudy lens is removed and replaced with a clear, artificial lens.
There are various lens options available depending on your visual goals and lifestyle.
Our practice serves patients from CITY 1, CITY 2, CITY 3, and CITY 4, and surrounding communities.