Robert Glass Opticians offer a look into all things related to your eyes.
Here, they give some advice on cataracts.
(advertisement feature)
CATARACTS occur when the small transparent lenses in your eye become cloudy.
Over time the clouding becomes worse causing glare, blurry, misty vision and if left for too long could completely cloud over resulting in very poor vision.
Most cataracts develop due to normal ageing changes in the lenses, but some are caused by injury to the eye or drugs such as steroid use.
Some inherited genetic disorders that cause other health problems can increase your risk of cataracts. Cataracts can also be caused by other eye conditions, past eye surgery or medical conditions such as diabetes.
Around the age of 40, proteins in the lenses of your eye start to break down and the lens starts to harden causing close-up reading difficulties. Following the hardening process, the lens slowly becomes cloudy, forming a cataract.
When the cloudiness reaches a point when it interferes with day-to-day life, it is time to consider cataract surgery.
Cataracts usually develop in both eyes and eventually require surgery, which are usually performed several weeks or months apart.
The operation can be performed at any stage of cataract development but more usually before the changes become too advanced.
Eye doctors no longer wait until your cataract is “ripe” before removing it. Most people choose to have their cataracts removed when the change in their vision starts to cause them difficulties driving, reading or performing every-day tasks.
Cataract surgery in most cases is completely painless and involves removing the cloudy lens and replacing it with an artificial one. It is normally performed as day surgery under local anaesthesia, so you are awake but your eye will not feel any pain. You may notice bright lights or colours during the procedure and the cataract team will reassuringly talk you through the 10 to 15-minute operation.
Vision improvement is almost immediate with amazing improvement in clarity and perception of colours.
Call Robert Glass Opticians for further advice on 01706 299422.
