Regular Eye Tests Prevent Cataracts
Cataracts: the word probably makes you think of old age and surgery. It shouldn’t. Think instead of a condition that optometrists have been dealing with for decades, a condition which can occur in any age group, and which is often perfectly treatable without surgery. So forget old age and surgery for a minute; what you should be thinking is regular eye tests.
Cataracts are the third leading cause of preventable blindness in the United States, yet cataracts are also the ocular condition that is easiest for a sufferer to identify. The most common symptoms are blurred or hazy vision and increased sensitivity to glare, which you would notice most when driving at night – a task that becomes more difficult, and less safe, with cataracts. Some cataract sufferers also report that colors have lost their intensity. Cataracts usually form over a long period of time, which means that symptoms also develop gradually so it’s trickier to notice them. In fact in some cases, patients with mild cataracts don’t experience any symptoms at all. Regular eye exams are the only way to know exactly what condition your eyes are in.
A professional eye clinic will never recommend surgery for patients with only mild cataracts. Cataract surgery is a solution for people whose disability from cataracts actually interferes with their lifestyle. Although most people over the age of 60 have some extent of cataract formation, not everyone experiences a significant decrease in visual acuity (meaning a decrease in the sharpness or clarity of your vision), or other obvious symptoms. In cases like these, having your eyes checked regularly and being particularly aware of any changes in your vision is important for preventing further damage to your sight.
Nonsurgical treatment can be an option for treating cataracts with mild symptoms such as a reduction in your ability to see contrast, or problems with glare. Sometimes changing your glasses or contact lens prescription is enough to make a difference if the cataracts are mild and caught early. There are also ways of incorporating filters into the lenses of your glasses to minimize the impact of glare on your vision. In certain circumstances where the cataract is centrally located, vision can be improved with the aid of prescription eye drops.
Where cataracts affect a patient’s ability to perform everyday tasks such as driving, surgical cataract removal is the most effective solution. Cataract surgery involves removing the eye’s lens and replacing it with an artificial lens. Once the lens has been replaced by an artificial one, it functions as normal and does not require any additional care. Approximately 90 percent of cataract surgery patients report significantly better vision after surgery.
Cataract surgery is one of the safest and most effective types of surgery performed in the United States today, and one of the most commonly performed surgeries for senior citizens. As with all surgeries, it does involve risks. Contacting your local eye doctor to discuss the benefits and risks of cataract surgery is necessary for making an informed decision.
I am british, 56 yrs old and live in Shanghai. I have cataract in my right eye (specialist in HK confirmed 6 mths ago). It is now affecting my worklife and social life as there is a permanent ‘glare’ and so I think surgery is needed and will want the best replacement materials of course. I should be most grateful if you could provide details of any surgery arrangements you have or where it would be best to do it – and if it can be done in July. Thank you. HK MKobile Number 9615 1547