Many patients are surprised to hear that over half of all seniors will have cataracts by the time they hit the age of 80. According to professionals who specialize in cataract surgery in Salt Lake City, cataracts can start to show up as early as age 60. Cataracts are an exceptionally common condition in which there is a “clouding” of the lens that will eventually affect one’s vision. Due to just how prevalent this eye disease is, here is a look at five important things that every senior should know about cataracts, how they can be delayed, and what can be done to treat them.
Your Demographic Is At the Highest Risk
One of the first and most important things that seniors should remember is that their demographic is at the highest risk of developing cataracts. Most specialists say that it is not so much a question of if a senior will develop cataracts, but when will they develop cataracts, and how far the condition will progress. Other demographics at a higher risk include women, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and those with a family history of cataracts.
There Are Different Types of Cataracts
Most seniors will develop age-related cataracts or “secondary” cataracts, but there are actually five different types of this condition. Age cataracts are simply a weakening of the eyes and exposure to the elements while secondary cataracts are the result of other medical problems like diabetes. There is also congenital cataracts that occur at or before birth, radiation cataracts after extended exposure to radiation, and traumatic cataracts that can occur when there is damage to the eye or the soft tissue around the eye.
The Symptoms May Be So Subtle That You Do Not Notice Them
Another extremely important fact to remember is that the side effects of cataracts, especially in the earliest stages, may be completely undetectable to the patient. One’s vision may only diminish ever so slightly, and this means that many will not know that they have cataracts for years on end. Primarily, seniors should pay attention to situations in which they feel as if there vision or eye comfort has been recently affected. This may include difficulty seeing at night, blurring around bright lights, streaks coming off of lights, eye glasses that are no longer working well, and any discomfort from contacts or around the eye in general.
Early Detection is Imperative
In some instances, cataracts do not need to be removed right away and a doctor may only suggest that the other steps are taken to prevent the cataracts from worsening. That being said, catching them in the early stages will make treatment much easier. When cataracts are not affecting a senior’s ability to see, they may be able to reduce the side effects and slow the condition with nothing more than changing their medication, or using prescription eye drops.
You Can Still Delay Cataracts
It is never too late to think that cataracts have progressed to the point that they are untreatable or the only solution is surgery. When caught early on, seniors can often go for years by only making minor changes to their lifestyle. This begins by protecting your eyes from the sun with sunglasses and hats. Smoking and drinking should also be avoided, and an overall healthy diet filled with leafy greens can also slow cataracts or prevent them altogether.
Speaking with a vision specialist and regularly having one’s eyesight checked is the absolute best method of delaying and treating this condition. The longer that cataracts are allowed to develop, the more severe your vision loss will become, and the higher their risk will be for going completely blind. This is especially important information to remember for the millions of seniors that develop this condition each and every year.
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