June is Cataracts Awareness Month
06/20/2013
Awareness Brings Clarity to Seniors with Cataracts
About 22 million Americans aged 40 and older suffer from cataracts, by the age of 80 over half of all Americans will have developed mild to severe cataracts. Cataracts are so prevalent, in fact, that we all should be aware of what they are, what symptoms occur with cataracts, and what we can do to prevent them; especially those in their senior years. What are cataracts? A cataract is a clouding eye’s lens that affects vision. Cataracts can be present at birth, but they’re generally age-related because as we get older, the lens of the eye slowly becomes less flexible, less transparent, and thicker. Due to this progression, areas of the lens become cloudy. If left in place, in time, a cataract could become completely white and block one’s vision. What are the symptoms of cataracts? Adult cataracts develop slowly and painlessly, and early diagnosis is important for maintaining good eye heath. Mild clouding of the lens often occurs after age 60 with few vision problems, but by age 75, most people with cataracts have symptoms that do affect their vision. Visual problems that may be associated with cataracts include: - Sensitivity to glare
- Cloudy, fuzzy, foggy, or filmy vision
- Difficulty seeing at night or in dim light
- Double vision
- Loss of color intensity
- Problems seeing shapes against a background or the difference between shades of colors
- Seeing halos around lights