What causes cataracts?
The lens of your eye is normally clear, but when proteins clump together and form cataracts, the lens clouds. The proteins converge most often because of the aging process, but injury and surgery can also be to blame.
Cataracts may start to form as early as your 40s, but you won’t notice vision changes until it gets larger over the next 10-20 years. If cataracts aren’t treated, it can lead to permanent blindness.
What are the symptoms of cataracts?
At first, you may not notice much change in your vision, but as your cataracts increase in size, you may experience:
- Blurry vision
- Difficulty reading
- Double vision
- Poor night vision
- Glare around lights
Cataracts can make your eyes more sensitive to light and make bright colors appear dull or yellow.
Are there different types of cataracts?
Cataracts can form in different ways. You may experience:
- Nuclear cataracts: form deep in the center of the lens; they’re associated with aging
- Cortical cataracts: cloudiness starts around the edge of the lens and progresses inward
- Subcapsular cataracts: form at the back of the lens; they’re common in patients with diabetes
- patients with diabetes
Nuclear cataracts can cause blurry vision because the center of your lens gradually hardens and yellows.
What are the treatments for cataracts?
At Stevens Eye Care, Dr. Stevens offers the most advanced techniques with state-of-the-art technology to help restore clear vision.
In the early stages, cataracts may be corrected with eyeglasses and proper lighting when you read or do detail work. When a cataract starts to affect your vision seriously, however, Dr. Stevens recommends surgery to remove the defective lens and replace it with an intraocular lens.
What is an intraocular lens?
A new lens clears up your vision and corrects refractive vision problems. You can get specialized lenses, such as:
- Multifocal IOLs that improve vision at all distances, near and far
- Toric IOLs that correct astigmatism
- Accommodative IOLs that move or change shape inside your eye, providing clear vision at different distances
If you suspect you have cataracts, contact Stevens Eye Care for an evaluation. Call the office or schedule an appointment online today.
