Posted on: 10/19/14

Cataract Surgery

Cataracts are an unfortunate part of aging. As we age, the natural lenses in our eyes can become cloudy, gradually reducing our ability to see clearly. If you’re developing cataracts, the absolute best thing to do is to get them taken care of as early as possible. If you’re over 55, you may be developing cataracts without even noticing. So, what are the warning signs that can tip you off?

  1. First, if you’re over 55 you should be wary about cataracts. Cataracts are due to the natural aging processes of the body. The older our bodies get the more likely we are to develop cataracts. Regular eye exams become very important once you reach this critical age. Your regular doctor most likely won’t perform an eye exam during your normal checkups, so be sure to see an eye doctor as well.
  2. If you’ve noticed any decrease in your vision, you may be developing cataracts. Cataracts can develop very slowly over years, differing from person to person. Just because someone in your family had a rapid decrease in vision due to their cataracts doesn’t mean the same thing will happen to you.
  3. One common symptom of cataracts is the blurring of vision. If you’ve noticed that your vision has become even slightly blurry, you could be developing cataracts. Blurriness is so common because the lens of the eye helps to focus the things that we see—when it is compromised, so is our ability to focus.
  4. If you haven’t noticed any blurriness, your vision may still be impaired by cataracts. If you have noticed difficulty reading or that you’re skipping letters while you read, you should get your eyes checked. Again, as we slowly lose our ability to focus, the way we see things is fundamentally altered. Impaired ability to read is one of the most commonly noticed symptoms of developing cataracts.
  5. Another common symptom is the decreased ability to see at nighttime. This manifests in several different ways. Some of the most reported ways include halos around lights at night, dramatically increased glare, and, in general, decreased vision. If you’ve noticed that your eyesight has begun to change during night and lowlight conditions, it may be a sign of developing cataracts.

Remember, you shouldn’t ignore the warning signs, even if your symptoms only seem like minor inconveniences. Cataracts become gradually worse and worse over time, eventually leading to complete visual failure. Don’t let cataracts control your life; see an optometrist as soon as you notice these symptoms!