June is Cataract Awareness Month and your sight matters! Cataracts are the leading cause of vision loss in the U.S. and the leading cause of blindness in the world. More than 24 million Americans over the age of 40 have some form of vision loss caused by cataracts.
What are cataracts?
A cataract is the clouding of the eye’s lens which lies behind the iris and the pupil.
What are the symptoms of cataracts?
- A sensitivity to glare and light
- Double vision in one eye
- Dim, blurred or clouded vision
- A need for brighter light when engaged in close up activities such as reading
- Yellowing or fading of colors
- Lessened night vision
- Seeing “halos” around lights
Most cataracts develop due to age or injury damaging the tissue that makes up the lens of the eye. There are also inherited genetic disorders that can cause health problems which lead to cataracts. Cataracts can also be caused by diabetes, long term use of steroid medications, other eye conditions and past eye surgery.
The risk factors for cataracts include:
- Obesity
- Increasing age
- High blood pressure
- Too much sun exposure
- Smoking
- Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol
Cataracts are quite common and fortunately are also quite easy to treat. During cataract surgery, the surgeon removes the lens which has deteriorated and replaces it with an artificial lens. Cataract surgery is one of the most common surgeries with millions undergoing surgery each month just in the U.S. alone. The surgery takes less than a half hour and recovery is quick with a success rate of 95%.
This June during Cataract Awareness Month, remember, you don’t have to live with loss of vision due to cataracts. A thorough eye examination can detect the presence of cataracts as well as other conditions that could be impacting your vision. If you or a loved one have symptoms of vision loss or cataracts, make an appointment with your eye specialist. Taking care of your eyes is one more part of living a healthy life.
