A cataract is the name for the clouding of the lens of the eye. If you have a cataract you may feel a little like you are looking through a foggy window. Vision is cloudy instead of clear. When you have a cataract your vision can become severely impaired over time. At first you may not be able to read a newspaper but as it continues to expand you will find you can no longer drive a car or see anything clearly at all.
Cataracts develop very slowly. At first the symptoms are easily controlled with eye drops, eye exercises or wearing glasses. If left untreated however cataracts will get worse. Eventually they can lead to total blindness. The gradual clouding of your vision is one of the most common symptoms as is blurred vision. If the vision is slightly dim this could also be a sign. It gets much more difficult to see clearly at night when the eye has a cataract and often there is hightened sensitivity to lights and glare. If you can see a halo around a light then this could be a sign of a cataract. If colours seem faded or slightly yellow in colour then this could be the result of a cataract too. Double vision is also a symptom.
As can be seen from the symptoms of cataracts, vision loss is not the first sign necessarily that a cataract is present. Vision in fact may well remain relatively clear for a while as the cataract starts off very small. This wont last however, the cataract will spread across the eye and as it does so vision will become severely affected. If you notice any changes to your vision or experience any of the symptoms outlined above, it is a good idea to visit your local eye doctor. They will be able to carry out tests to determine if a cataract is present and outline options for treatment.
There are several options for cataract treatment, but none are more completely effective than refractive lens exchange. This involves the removal of the hardened, cloudy lens of the eye and replacing it with an artificial one. The new artificial lens cures the problem instantly and ensures cataracts never return. The refractive lens exchange procedure only lasts around 20 minutes per eye and the recovery period is just a few days. Life can return to normal very quickly following this procedure. It is ideal for people over 50 who want to be rid of their glasses and see the return of their youthful vision. It has helped thousands of people around the world.
Because vision loss with cataracts creeps up slowly, many patients dont quite realise how bad it has become. When refractive lens exchange has been completed, patients are often astounded at how much their eye sight has improved. This procedure changes lives and offers people a dramatic improvement to their overall quality of life.
When you visit the eye doctor for the first time, they will carry out some tests to help provide a diagnosis. You may well be asked to read an eye chart to see how well you can read and if there are signs of impairment. They may also use a light to examine your eye up close. They will illuminate the cornea and view the space between the iris and the cornea. This helps them see abnormalities such as cataracts. There may well be a retinal examination too. This involves using eye drops and dilating the pupils. The eye doctor can then view the back of the eyes more easily.
If you think you may have a cataract, visit your nearest eye doctor for further information and tests. Although a
cataract can impair sight there is very effective
eye correction surgery available to fix the problem.
Cataracts of the eye can be banished for good through a simple and common surgical procedure.
