What are Cataracts and How are They Treated?

What Are Cataracts?

Cataracts are a common occurrence in adults, as cataracts develop they can cause a variety of vision problems, including:

• Blurred vision: This is the most common symptom of cataracts. As the lens becomes cloudier, it becomes harder to see clearly.
• Halos around lights: You may see halos or glare around lights, especially at night.
• Increased sensitivity to light: Bright lights may become uncomfortable or even painful.
• Faded colours: Colours may appear less vibrant or dull.
• Frequent changes in your eyeglass prescription: As cataracts progress, you may need more frequent adjustments to your prescription.
• Double vision in a single eye

If you are experiencing challenges with activities like reading, watching TV, or driving, especially at night, cataracts could be a contributing factor. If you experience any of these symptoms, it’s important to consult with an eye care professional for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan.

What are the risk factors of Cataracts?

There are a number of risk factors that can increase

Age, the most common risk factor. As we age, the proteins in the eye’s lens can clump together, causing the lens to become cloudy.

Eye injuries, past eye injuries can increase the risk of cataract formation.

Certain medications, long-term use of corticosteroids can increase the risk of cataracts

Medical conditions like diabetes, People with diabetes are at a higher risk of developing cataracts, especially if their blood sugar levels are poorly controlled.

Excessive exposure to UV light, Prolonged exposure to UV radiation from the sun can damage the eye’s lens and increase the risk of cataracts.

Family history, A family history of cataracts can also increase your risk.

Can cataracts be prevents?

While there’s no guaranteed way to completely prevent cataracts, several lifestyle factors can reduce your risk:

Protect Your Eyes from UV Radiation:

Your eyes are sensitive and the sun’s rays can damage them, so it is advised that you wear sunglasses that block both UVA and UVB rays whenever you’re outdoors.

Maintain a Healthy Diet:

Like every organ in your body, eyes need vitamins to help them function properly. A diet rich in antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E, can help protect your eyes.

Consume plenty of fruits, vegetables, and leafy green vegetables. (link to gut health blog)

Quit Smoking:

As smoking increases the risk of developing eye problems such as cataracts, it is advised that you quit smoking for your overall health. If you require any assistance with quitting, you can seek help at NHS stop smoking services help you quit – NHS

Regular Eye Exams:

It is important that you maintain regular eye exams, this is the best way to help detect any eye problems early and preventative treatment before any escalation.

Manage Underlying Health Conditions:

There are a number of health conditions that can increase the risks of cataracts. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes or high blood pressure, these can increase the risk of cataracts, you should inform your optician if this is the case to allow them to monitor your eyes efficiently. By managing these conditions effectively you may be able to reduce your risk of cataracts.

What is the treatment for Cataracts?

The only effective treatment for cataracts is surgery. During surgery, the cloudy lens is removed and replaced with a clear artificial lens implant. This procedure is highly successful and can significantly improve vision.

Although there are no medications or eye drops that can reverse cataracts or prevent them from forming, regular eye exams can help detect cataracts early and monitor their progression.

Clarity is here to help

It is important that if you experience any changes with your vision, eye injuries or you take certain medications that you consult your optician or GP for monitoring or diagnosis of any potential eye problems.

With Clarity, you don’t need to wait to recover your vision – you can see a specialist consultant within one week at one of our state-of-the-art hospitals. Clarity eye clinics offer bespoke treatment packages for cataracts with a wide choice of premium lenses available.