Prevent Blindness has declared June as Cataract Awareness Month.
Cataract Awareness
Cataracts are the leading cause of vision loss in the United States, and it is the leading cause of blindness in the world. There are more than 24 million Americans over the age of 40 who are affected by cataracts, so it’s important to educate ourselves on symptoms and risk factors associated with cataracts.
What is a Cataract?
A cataract is the clouding of the lens inside the eye that happens naturally over time.
Cataracts are among the most common age-related eye conditions; it is estimated that over 60% of Americans will develop a cataract at some point during their lifetimes.
Who is at risk for cataracts?
Anyone can get cataracts. While most people don’t always show symptoms until at least the age of 40, cataracts can also affect young adults or even children. Heredity, disease, eye injury and smoking could cause cataracts to develop at an earlier age.
What are symptoms of cataracts?
Symptoms of a cataract may include:
- Blurred or distorted vision
- Sensitivity to light, especially bright lights from oncoming car headlights
- Need to get closer to see distant objects, such as road signs
- Loss of depth perception
- A change in the color of the pupil to a milky white or yellow
Can you prevent cataracts?
Some steps you can take now to protect your eyes from the formation of cataracts is to wear UV blocking sunglasses, take nutritional supplements, quit smoking, and learn of any family health history.
We understand how precious your vision is, and one thing that can help us keep your eyes healthy is a comprehensive eye exam at least once every other year.
