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Cataracts: A Natural Part of the Aging Process.
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As we age, we all notice many changes taking place in our bodies-- but few affect our lifestyles more than the changes that take place with our vision. We all value our sight more than any of our other senses, so it's no surprise that you want to protect your eyesight. However, you may find that poor vision due to a cataract is interfering with many daily activities: such as reading, driving, or watching television. You should be concerned, but you shouldn't be worried.
Any clouding or loss of clarity of the lens of your eye is called a cataract. Cataracts occur as part of the normal aging process. Studies show that about 50% of all people will have some cataract formation before age 60 and close to 100% will develop them by age 70. Cataracts are the leading cause of vision loss in the world-- so you're not alone.
There is currently no way to prevent the formation of cataracts and no way to stop their progress once they appear. Cataracts can develop slowly over a period of years but in some cases they may develop quickly in only a few months. They may affect both eyes at a different rate, or they may affect only one eye.
Symptoms of Cataracts
Of course, only your eye doctor can tell for sure if you have a cataract, but there are several symptoms that may indicate the presence of a cataract. An early sign is increasing glare from strong sunlight or bright lights at night. This may become quite bothersome and you may notice halos around different light sources such as car headlights. Colors that are normally bright and vibrant, may appear faded and washed out... especially blues and greens. Most noticeably, your vision will become blurred and hazy, making it difficult to read small print or perform other tasks.
If you are experiencing any or all of these symptoms, please make an appointment to see Dr. Fornarotto. This website is for information only and not meant to substitute for a visit to the doctor.
Cataracts Can Be Treated!
The presence of a cataract in your eye is not dangerous to the health of the eye unless the cataract becomes completely white. When this happens, it is called a "mature" cataract. A "mature" cataract causes blindness and can cause inflammation in the eye, pain, and headache and should be surgically removed.
Cataracts have the potential to severely impair your vision, but the good news is that they can be treated!Advances in modern medicine and improvements in microsurgical techniques have made the treatment of cataracts a highly successful procedure.
Cataract surgery is very successful in restoring vision. In fact, it is the most frequently performed surgery in the United States, with over 1.5 million cataract surgeries done each year. Nine out of ten people who have cataract surgery regain very good vision, somewhere between 20/20 and 20/40.
