Cataract Basics and Beyond: Why Treatments Are Now Better Than Ever

Kira Manusis, MD Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology Co-Director, Cataract, Cornea and Refractive Surgery New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai __________________________ If you are fortunate to live long enough, you will probably develop a cataract, the leading cause of vision loss in the United States. According to the National Eye Institute, more than half of all Americans develop a cataract by age 80. As our nation's senior population expands, the number of people aged 40 or older with cataracts is expected to double from 24.4 million to about 50 million by 2050. Cataract Basics A cataract is a clouding of the eye's lens, the normally transparent structure that focuses light onto the back of the eye, allowing us to see. Rather than a disease, most cataracts develop as part of the aging process. You can't prevent them, but reducing exposure to ultraviolet light from the sun, quitting smoking and improving blood sugar control if you are diabetic may help slow their progress. Cataracts develop gradually, causing vision problems starting generally around age 60. Symptoms may include dimmed or blurred vision, glare, "halos" around lights and dulled colors. Depending on your vision needs, you may not have symptoms or may notice them sooner than other people. For instance, artists might notice earlier that colors are not as vibrant, or voracious readers that their vision is blurry, even with glasses. If the quality of your vision starts interfering with everyd...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news