Cataracts and Vision Care

 - A gradual loss of color vision.

 - A stage where it is easier to see without glasses... a second sight.

Currently, there is no proven method to prevent cataracts from forming or to make the

cloudy lens clear after a cataract has developed. Your optometrist can prescribe changes in

your glasses or contact lenses to help you see more as your cataracts develop.

Ultimately, if your cataracts impair your daily activities, your Optometrist can refer you to

an eye surgeon who may recommend surgical removal of the cataract. Cataract surgery is

relatively uncomplicated and has a 95% success rate. When your eye’s natural lens is

removed during cataract surgery, an intraocular lens implant may need to be inserted

during surgery to achieve clear, comfortable vision. This implant will serve as a “new lens”.

Whether it’s contact lenses, glasses, or an intraocular lens implant to treat cataracts, regular

optometric follow up care is important in making sure you always maintain good vision and

eye health at all times.

“WHERE YOUR VISION IS OUR MISSION”

CATARACTS

A cataract is a clouding or darkening that develops in the normally clear lens of the eye. This

prevents the lens from focusing light on the retina, at the back of the eye, resulting in a loss

of vision. It is not a film that grows over the surface of the eye.

No one is exactly sure what a cataract is, but it is known that chemical changes within the

lens cause it to be cloudy. This is often thought of as part of the natural aging process, but it

may also result from heredity, an injury, or a disease. Cataracts are most often found in

people over the age of 55, but are also occasionally found in younger people, even

newborns. Cataracts usually develop in both eyes, but often at different rates. Some

cataracts develop slowly over the period of the years and others form rapidly within a few

months.

In a comprehensive eye examination, your Optometrist can determine whether or not you

have cataracts.

Cataracts vary in their development from person to person, so the symptoms may vary.

Here are some common symptoms that people experience:

 - Increasing haziness causing blurred or distorted vision... colors may seem yellowed.

 - The appearance of dark spots or shadows that seem to move when the eye moves.

 - An increasing need for more light to see clearly.

 - Double vision.

“WHERE YOUR VISION IS OUR MISSION”