7 Signs Cataract Surgery May Be in Your Future
January 17th, 2017
The lens of your eye is used every single day in everything that you do. From driving to reading to playing games on your computer, you put it to work. As you age, the proteins inside your eye’s lens can combine, causing the lens to become cloudy. This affects how well you see, and that compromises your quality of life. It also increases your chances of having cataract surgery to restore your vision.
There are several behaviors that can put a person at a high risk of needing cataract surgery in the future. They are:
- Not wearing sunglasses when in the sun
- Smoking
- Using steroids
- Diabetes
- Excessive radiation exposure
If you are noticing cloudiness in your vision, you aren’t alone. More than 20 million Americans 40 years of age and older have cataracts in at least one eye. Millions of these people must have cataract surgery so they can regain their vision and quality of life.
Signs of Cataracts
At first, a cataract starts out small and may not affect your vision much. There may be times when things look a little blurry, but it doesn’t really worry you. Over time, this blurriness can increase. A cataract can occur anywhere on the lens. With that said, here are the seven signs cataract surgery may be in your future:
- Your vision becomes blurry on occasion.
- You start to notice a brown or yellow tinge to your eyes and you can’t see well at night.
- Light sensitivity means you can’t stand the glare of bright lights.
- You see halos around lights, which can make driving at night difficult.
- You may need stronger contacts or eyeglasses due to a rapid change in prescription.
- How you see color changes.
- You experience double vision, which can be a sign of other conditions, especially if you have binocular vision, where two images are visible only when both eyes are open. If you have double vision in just one eye, cataracts is a common cause.
If you notice any of these symptoms, it is important to see your doctor as soon as possible. Cataracts can cause significant vision changes that need to be addressed.
Cataracts Don’t Discriminate
Even if you are younger or know a younger person experiencing rapid changes in vision, cataracts are possible. Although the condition is more prevalent in people over 40, young people can get it as well because of medications, injury, or a genetic predisposition.
When you suspect a cataract, it is important to seek immediate medical attention because it is possible that the vision changes are due to another condition. Rapid vision changes can be the result of a stroke, brain tumor, or another life-threatening health condition. Determining which steps to take usually starts with the eye doctor appointment. If it is a cataract, then the necessary steps can be taken to rectify the issue so that sight can be restored. If it isn’t a cataract, then the next step can be taken toward a diagnosis and solution.
If you suspect you are developing cataracts, be sure to contact Dr. Danny Lee in Decatur and Huntsville, Alabama today!
