|
Approximately 20.5 million Americans age 40 and
older have cataracts. Cataracts are the clouding of the eye's clear
lens; like a window that is "fogged" with steam. When the lens
becomes cloudy, light rays cannot pass through it easily and vision
becomes blurry. Cataracts are not a growth or a film over the eye.
Cataracts start out small and have little effect
on vision at first. But as the cataract grows, so does the impact on
vision. See your Eye M.D. if you experience:
- Painless blurring
of vision
- Sensitivity to
light and glare
- Double vision in
one eye
- Poor night vision
- Fading or
yellowing of colors
- Frequent changes
in glasses or contact lens prescriptions
Although cataracts usually develop as part of
the aging process (more than half of all Americans develop cataracts
by age 80), they can also result from:
- Eye injuries
- Certain diseases,
such as diabetes
- Genetic
inheritance
- Certain
medications
- Frequent,
unprotected exposure to UV-A and UV-B rays
Currently, there are no medications or
exercises that will cause cataracts to disappear. However, if
cataracts don't interfere with your life, you may decide not to do
anything about them. When they do begin to interfere with daily
activities, they can be treated surgically. Cataract surgery is the
most frequently performed surgery in the United States, with more
than one million surgeries performed each year. After surgery, most
patients regain useful vision. Laser treatment is sometimes used
after cataract surgery to remove a film that can occasionally grow
on the lens implant.
See your Eye M.D. ... because
there's so much more to see.
An Eye M.D. is an ophthalmologist - a
medical doctor
who provides the full spectrum of eye and vision care.
From eyeglasses and contact lenses to medication and
surgery. Your Eye M.D. will help you keep your sight for life. |
