Cataracts – Signs, Symptoms and Treatment Options
June is Cataracts Awareness Month, so our in home senior care team is helping to raise awareness by sharing important information about this health condition.
What are Cataracts and What Causes Them?
Cataracts is clouding of the eye’s lens (which is normally clear) that causes vision problems. It is predominantly a result of aging, and by 80-years of age, more than half of all Americans will have experienced a cataract. It can occur in one or both eyes and is not a contagious condition.
The lens of the eye is largely made up of protein and water. The proteins can start clumping up over time, which clouds the lens and prevents the right amount of light from reaching the retina. When this clumping first starts, it only affects a small portion of the eye and may not be easily noticed. As it progresses and grows, the symptoms will worsen, and vision will be increasingly affected.
8 Symptoms of Cataracts
Symptoms of this condition include:
- Clouded or dimmed vision
- Sensitivity to bright light/glare
- Halos around lights
- Difficulty seeing at night
- Increasing need for brighter and brighter light for reading and close work
- Difficulty distinguishing different tones and colors
- Fading or browning/yellowing of the eye
- Double vision in the eye
Risk Factors
Cataracts primarily result from the aging process, but other risk factors can make cataracts more likely, including certain health conditions like diabetes, certain medications like corticosteroids, as well as smoking, high alcohol intake, obesity, high blood pressure, eye injuries and excessive exposure of the eyes to sunlight.
Treatment for Cataracts
Cataracts can be diagnosed by your physician using a range of eye tests, so annual checkups are important. Fortunately, there are very effective treatment options available to restore your vision once your prescription glasses are no longer effective.
During cataract surgery the clouded lens is removed and replaced with an artificial intraocular lens. This is usually done on an outpatient basis and, after a few days of recovery, your vision should be fully restored.
Senior Independent Home Care in NJ – Compassion, Care and Independence!
At United Methodist Communities, a leading senior homecare services provider in New Jersey, we offer tailored, compassionate care through our advanced HomeWorks program. This program offers in home senior care for the elderly tailored to their specific requirements and provides them, their families and caregivers with personalized, compassionate care that prioritizes health, happiness and independence.For more information on our senior independent homecare services, please contact us today or visit our website at https://umcommunities.org/homeworks/
