Each year, more than 3 million surgeries are performed in the United States to remove cataracts. Luckily, nine out of 10 people who undergo such surgery do extremely well, and regain very good vision.
The lens of the eye sits behind the iris and pupil, and is the part of the eye that focuses light on the retina, enabling us to see things clearly both near and far away. Cataracts are a clouding over the lens of the eye, or its envelope, that blocks light, thus distorting vision. Most of us have some mild clouding after age 60, and age-related changes to the lens of the eye occur in over 90 percent of us by the time we are 75 to 85 years old.
Presbyopia, which is the loss of flexibility in the lens of the eye that prompts some of us to need reading glasses once we hit middle age, can occur independently of cataracts, and does not necessarily mean that cataracts are forming. There is, however, an association between extreme near-sightedness and the development of cataracts.
It is believed that cataracts are hereditary in some families, but environmental factors play a role as well, and there is a correlation between cataract formation and things such as long-term use of corticosteroid drugs; exposure to ultraviolet light; metabolic or inflammatory diseases; iodine deficiency; and the use of diuretics and tranquilizers.
A Swedish study of postmenopausal women showed a 14 percent to 18 percent increase in the likelihood of developing cataracts among those who were on a regimen of hormone replacement therapy, and in Iceland, a study of airline pilots showed that they were three times more likely to develop cataracts, perhaps due to their higher exposure to radiation from space.
Some symptoms of cataracts are: cloudy vision, double vision, difficulty seeing at night, seeing halos around lights, being sensitive to glare, and experiencing a loss of color intensity or being less able to differentiate between shades of color.
Cataracts are generally painless while they form, and the surgery to correct the problem is relatively pain-free as well. It's important to see an eye doctor if you experience symptoms, because surgery corrects the problem very well when the cataract is immature (scattered opacities) or mature (lens cortex is totally opaque), but if it's hyper-mature (swollen and may leak fluid out of the lens) it can cause damage to surrounding structures of the eye.
There are some things that people can do to help prevent early cataracts. Proper management of diabetes or hypertension is very important, as reducing one's intake of salt or alcohol. Another good strategy is to quit smoking. Sunglasses that block ultraviolet light should be worn, and it's also important to eat a diet rich in appropriate amounts of antioxidants, such as beta carotene (didn't your mother always tell you that carrots were good for your eyes?), selenium, and vitamins E and C. Nuts, turkey, and seafoods are a natural source of selenium. Vitamin E is also found in nuts and in vegetable oils. One tablespoon of wheat germ oil fulfills 100 percent of the daily requirement of Vitamin E.
August is Cataract Awareness Month. For more information on cataracts, visit http://www.aoa.org/x4714.xml. Always see your eye doctor right away if you notice symptoms, as well as for regular exams. In many cases, prompt action can save vision.
Anne Springer is the public relations director of SeniorCare Inc., your local area agency on aging. To reach SeniorCare, call 978-281-1750.
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