Are you noticing your vision getting blurrier? Are you reading this article with a zoomed-in browser? Then you may have cataracts. And like millions of North Americans with cataracts, you will most likely manage to lead a fulfilling lifestyle regardless.
Cataracts are notorious for causing blindness, but this is far from an unavoidable outcome. With the help of optometrists and smart life choices, you too can control the disease’s progression. To pile on the good news, cataract surgery remains a reliable option that successfully restores sight without complications in 95% of the cases.
Living With Cataracts
As you age, a cataract may form in the lens of your eye. The cataract clouds your lens, blocking light from reaching your retina, and blurring your vision. When the clouding becomes too severe, you become blind.
More than half of North Americans over the age of 80 live with some form of cataract. Knowing that the odds are not on your side may seem scary. However, this eye condition is far from untreatable. By grooming vision-friendly habits, you can decrease your risk of developing cataracts. And should you contract the disease, you can still resort to surgery to counteract its effects.
With competent optometrists and ophthalmologists by your side, your cataracts can be wholly dealt with. Our optometrists at Sunridge Eye Clinic can play a part in preventing and managing cataracts. Call (403) 280-7518 or fill out the online contact to see how our pre and post-surgery
Prevention: The Best Cure For Cataracts
Save yourself all the headaches that come with cataract management by not developing the condition in the first place.
Here are a few measures you can take to reduce your risk of developing cataracts:
- Eating a balanced diet: Food packed with vitamins C and E, lutein, and zeaxanthin can prevent cataracts or slow down their progression if you already have them. Citrus fruits, leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds, and carrots are all great choices to add to your diet. Feel free to use supplements if fitting these items to your diet proves too difficult.
- Quit smoking: Few know that smoking can increase your risk of cataracts. Toxins from cigarettes harm the cells that make up your eyes and negate the beneficial effects of vitamins and antioxidants.
- Wearing shades in the sun: The sun’s ultraviolet light can burn your retina and damage the proteins in your lens. A good pair of sunglasses can block 99% to 100% of harmful ultraviolet rays.
- Limiting alcohol: Research shows having more than 2 drinks a day is associated with increased risk for cataracts.
- Controlling your blood sugar: The lens in your eye changes blood sugar into sorbitol. When this substance accumulates in the lens, a cataract may form.
- Getting frequent eye exams: An eye exam every 2 to 4 years allows your eye doctor to diagnose early symptoms for a variety of eye conditions. Early action significantly increases your chances of treating or managing whatever disease that develops, including cataracts.
Cataract Surgery: The Last Failsafe
Although most seniors statistically do end up developing cataracts, they do not end up blind. Cataracts will likely worsen your vision to some degree, but that does not mean you cannot slow it down. Eating the right foods and taking care of your health can go a long way in minimizing the effects of this disease.
In rare cases, cataracts may become so overbearing that the individual can no longer lead a normal lifestyle. In these instances, surgery is the only procedure that stands between recovery and blindness.
Cataract surgery involves removing the cloudy lens and replacing them with an intraocular lens. This permanent implant acts as a biological lens, restoring your vision to a degree of normalcy. You may still need glasses to read, but your eyesight will be more than sufficient for everyday tasks.
Individuals who cannot receive intraocular lenses due to other eye conditions can rely on special contact lenses and cataract glasses post-surgery.
Over 95% of patients who undergo cataract surgery do not develop any complications.
Managing Cataracts Can Be Easier Than You Think
For many, cataracts constitute an inevitable challenge. Thankfully, our knowledge of the disease is sufficiently advanced so as to offer effective preventative measures and treatments to address it. Indeed, most cases of cataracts can be manageable or prevented altogether with sensible lifestyle habits. Even the worst cases can be reversed with timely surgery.
The tools for you to deal with cataracts are many. You can begin making the preparations today by calling our Sunridge Eye Clinic optometrists at (403) 280-7518 or by filling out the online contact form.
FAQs
Is cataract surgery a major surgery?
No. Cataract surgery is painless and takes less than 20 minutes to perform. It is also an outpatient procedure.
How long is the recovery period for cataract surgery?
Your eye may feel slightly uncomfortable after the surgery. This discomfort should disappear after a few days. Your eye will be completely healed within 4 to 6 weeks.
How much is cataract surgery?
The type of intraocular lens influences the cost of the procedure. Expect to pay anywhere from $4,000 to $10,000 per eye.
