Conjunctivitis
Chronic conjunctivitis eye with a red iris and pus close-up.

Upon birth our lenses are crystal clear. They are made of water and protein, and the latter clumps together over time, hindering vision. Hence, many people have problems with a cataract, which is one of the most common vision problems aging people encounter.

More than a half of elderly Americans have some form of a cataract, or have undergone a cataract surgery. And guess what? The vast majority of them are satisfied with the results of this procedure.

This disease probably awaits us all, provided we live long enough, so we better be prepared and well informed.

What exactly is the cataract?

Cataract makes the lens in your eye cloudy, so that the light can’t pass through it. This hinders clear vision and can even cause blindness.  A cataract can appear in either or both eyes, but it’s not contagious.

There is no adequate prevention method, but the studies show that smoking cigarettes, heavy drinking, air pollution, and obesity can increase the risk of a cataract. Regular eye examination is recommended, even more so if you have a family history of eye problems, or entering the late adulthood.

The symptoms

Cataract doesn’t make you feel pain. It develops slowly and starts small, and most symptoms are related to vision impairment. At first, only a tiny part of your lens is covered by this disease, so you may not be able to notice anything.

As the cataract grows with time, cloudy vision becomes a more serious problem. This is a result of a decreasing amount of light that is reaching your retina.

The next thing you may detect is lenses discoloration. They slowly turn into brownish or yellowish color, and appropriate tint is added to your vision.  The problem is that the change is slight at the beginning, but impossible to ignore in later stages. By that time you might experience everyday difficulties, and you might not be able to identify the colors. Your distance and night vision also takes a turn for the worse.

Keep in mind that these symptoms are also linked with other eye diseases.  Also, they may vary depending on the type of cataract you are enduring.

The treatment

If you are experiencing any of the symptoms above, seek the right cataract treatment. In a conversation with leading experts in cataract treatment from Personal Eyes, we found that only a simple eye exam will lead up to a correct diagnosis.

Also, they say that one of the safest and fastest procedures is a laser cataract procedure. There are several different types of this surgery, and they involve the removal of the clouded lens and replacing it with the artificial ones.

Lasers cut more accurately than traditional surgical methods, and reduce the stress on the eye tissue.  Operation is safe and swift, and is the best way to effectively deal with this disease. It has a high success rate, but that doesn’t mean it is risk-free. It isn’t always the best option, and is sometimes unnecessary. That depends on the amount of the vision loss, and whether it affects your ability to perform daily tasks.

Improve your life

Cataract symptoms are easy to miss at first. If the cataract impairs your ability to function normally and affect your quality of life, the surgical procedure is recommended. It is safe and fairly simple, and you don’t have to fear pain.

After the treatment you may return to your regular activities within a day, and absorb the world with the eyes wide open again.