When it comes to treatable blindness, cataracts are the leading cause across the entire world. This eye condition most often afflicts older individuals, but with proper treatment and management it can be corrected. Here's what you need to know about this prevalent eye condition courtesy of our eye clinic in Calgary.
A cataract occurs when the lens of the eye becomes clouded. This clouding results in vision loss as the cataract progresses due to the difficulty light has in passing through the clouded lens. Cataracts are most commonly related to the natural aging process, and may go unnoticed for quite some time before symptoms begin to crop up. The main symptoms of a cataract include:
- Blurry or clouded vision
- Colours looking faded
- Issues seeing at night
- Light sources being perceived as too bright
- Seeing a halo around lights
- Double vision
- Frequent prescription changes
Affordable Eye Exams in Calgary for All Ages
Specs in the City Optometry provides children, adult, and senior eye exams in SE Calgary to help safeguard your sight and overall ocular health. Our experienced optometrists use the latest in technology to quickly and accurately diagnose any eye conditions you may be suffering from, so treatment may commence right away. Contact us today to book your eye exam and let us help you adjust your focus so you can see clearly again!
What You Need to Know About Cataracts
There are a number of different things you should be aware of when it comes to cataracts. Given their prevalence across the world, especially in older individuals, cataracts are considered to be the leading cause of vision loss by the World Health Organization (WHO). Here in Canada, the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) says there are more than 3.5 million people in the country who are blind or have some form of vision impairment due to cataracts. Here are some more important facts you should know about this common eye disease.
No early symptoms
One of the most important things you need to know about cataracts is that there are no early symptoms associated with the eye disease. Most people don't realize they have a cataract until symptoms appear, which could make treating it more difficult or limit the treatment options available to them. This underscores why annual eye exams are so important, especially as you get older. Your optometrist will be able to identify the cataract early on, allowing treatment to begin right away.
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There are numerous treatment options for cataracts
Unlike other eye conditions such as glaucoma, cataracts are a highly treatable eye condition. If detected early, at-home treatment options such as wearing anti-glare glasses, using brighter lights, or using magnifying glasses can help manage your cataract and make seeing easier. If your cataract begins interfering with your life or making everyday activities difficult to impossible, then surgery is most likely your best route for restoring your quality of life to its previous state.
Cataract surgery is extremely safe and successful
While there is certainly no rush to have cataract surgery if your symptoms are being effectively managed and vision loss is not occuring, sometimes a cataract progresses to the point where it affects your everyday activities such as driving or watching TV. In these cases, cataract surgery is highly recommended. Due to how common cataracts are, surgical corrections have steadily been improved upon and fine tuned over the years. The surgery typically takes only 15 minutes to complete, is very safe, and provides successful results in 98-99 per cent of patients.
Specs in the City Optometry provides comprehensive cataract management services, including pre and post care for cataract surgery. Click the button below to learn more about how we can help you detect, prevent, manage, and treat cataracts.
How you can prevent cataracts
There are a few ways you can help prevent cataracts from forming in your eyes. This includes:
- Wearing sunglasses or hats to block out the sun
- Not consuming alcohol excessively
- Not smoking (or quitting if you already do)
- Eating healthy
- Getting a dilated eye exam (at least once every two years for those over 40)
Contact Us Today
If you need cataract management Calgary, our Calgary optometrists at Specs in the City have you covered. We can also help with eye emergencies, dry eye syndrome, contact lenses, and more. Simply give us a call at 403-252-2020 or fill out our online contact form to book your appointment today.
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