Astigmatism
Blepharitis
Cataracts
Conjunctivitis (Pink
Eye)
Diabetic Retinopathy
Dry Eye Syndrome
Glaucoma
Hyperopia (Farsightedness)
Keratoconus
Macular Degeneration
Myopia (Nearsightedness)
Presbyopia (Reading
Vision)
Retinal Detachment |
Cataracts
A
cataract is a clouding of the crystalline lens
inside the eye, preventing light from properly
focusing on the retina in the back of the eye.
Cataract surgery is the most commonly performed
outpatient surgery in the United States.
Most cataracts are related to age. It is
estimated that approximately 20.5 million
Americans (one of every six people age 40 and
older) have cataracts. By the age of 80, more
than half of all Americans will have a cataract.
Although cataracts usually develop with age,
they can also result from eye trauma, certain
diseases like diabetes, genetic inheritance,
smoking, certain medications, and frequent
unprotected exposure to UVA light.
The clouding of the natural clear lens in the
eye results in blurred vision near and far,
decreased color contrast, increased glare and/or
halos around lights at night, and frequent
changes in glasses prescriptions. When a
cataract is small, the cloudiness affects only a
small part of the lens, and you may not notice
any changes in your vision. Cataracts tend to
grow slowly, so vision gradually gets worse over
time.
No
medications can reverse or prevent cataracts,
but they can be removed through an outpatient
procedure that takes only minutes. There are no
needles, no stitches, and no patches involved.
Your insurance will usually cover the cost of
surgery. A cataract can be detected through a
comprehensive dilated eye exam. You can protect
yourself against vision loss by working with
your eye doctor and maintaining annual exams. |
