Cataract awareness

Cataracts are a common cause of vision loss but are easily treated by a qualified ophthalmologist. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, half of the people between age 52 and 64, and almost everyone over the age of 75, will have a cataract. Another way to look at it is that one in seven people in the United States has a cataract.

What is a cataract?

A cataract is a clouding in the lens of your eye. The onset of the condition is slow and usually related to aging. Other causes are congenital birth defects, alcoholism, diabetes mellitus, eye injury, smoking, and long-time exposure to ultra-violet (UV) light.

How would I know if I had a cataract?

Visual problems are not apparent in the beginning stages of a cataract. When they appear, you may have the following symptoms:

A gradual blurring of your eyesight.
Poor distance vision.
A fading or yellowing of colors.
Double vision in the affected eye.
A heightened sensitivity to light.
Trouble seeing well enough to drive at night.
Frequent need for changes in eyeglass prescriptions.

How are cataracts treated?

At the onset of cataracts, high magnification glasses may improve vision, but there are no medications or eye-drops that will help. Some people think that a cataract needs to be "ripe" before it can be removed, but read more