Cataracts are a medical condition affecting your eyes. When your eyes are clear, seeing is no trouble at all, right? Cataracts cloud your vision, and make it something akin to looking through a cloudy window. The worrying part is that they can develop in your eyes without at first causing any discernible symptoms, so by the time your eyes do start to cloud over, it may already be a very developed case.
There are other symptoms, of course. If you notice that it’s harder for you to see at night or that you seem to be more sensitive to bright lights, those are both good signs that you should talk to a doctor. Cataracts tend to come with age, so that’s another reason to be cautious. If you’re over the age of sixty-five, and experiencing these symptoms, it’s likely that you have cataracts.
Diagnosis will take the form of a few different exams. One of them is the typical eye chart test, which allows them to do a general test of your vision. Another one — more specific — is what’s called slit lamp examination. It’s an intense line of light that will separate and magnify the areas of your eye for more precise examination. It’s often easiest to see a cataract this way. Once you’re diagnosed, your doctor will talk to you about surgery.
Cataract surgery is the most effective treatment. Many doctors say to only have surgery when your quality of life starts to be dramatically affected. The surgery itself involves removing the clouded-over lens, and replacing it with an artificial lens. The surgery is considered outpatient, meaning that a hospital stay isn’t required, and you’ll be fully healed within eight weeks.
It can be scary when your vision is affected — that’s why you shouldn’t wait. Vista Eye is the best for cataract treatment in Fredericksburg.
