“Why does it seem that every year my vision gets worse? Because of the excessive glare and halo around headlights and taillights, I don’t feel safe driving at night anymore. Also, reading a menu is becoming harder and harder.”
As we age, the most common cause of these life-altering symptoms is cataracts, an age-related progressive darkening of the lens of your eyes. When detected early, treatment is usually straightforward. However, if cataracts are detected at an advanced age then treatment can come with higher risks for complications, such as retinal edema, torn lenticular capsules and iris atrophy.
If you’re having any of these symptoms, it’s important to get an evaluation with a medical eye examination to confirm or rule out the presence of cataracts, or any other possible problems. You may not know where to go to get this done, or perhaps you’d like to know what you should do if visually significant cataracts are confirmed. I hope to provide you with answers to these questions below.
Suppose your vision has reached the point where you no longer feel safe to drive. Obviously, this can seriously impact your quality of life. Although many people with cataracts chose not to drive at night, an emergency situation may present itself at any point that would require you to drive. This, of course, could be devastating. Don’t let cataracts be the reason you’re not able to help yourself, or a loved one. Early detection and treatment of cataracts will ensure clear vision at all times, day or night.
If you have any of these symptoms, and/or you feel any of the following risk factors pertain to you, then a medical eye exam evaluating for cataracts is highly recommended.
1. You are over 50. Everyone with a lens will eventually develop cataracts. The degree that age-related cataracts will affect functional vision will be different for everyone.
2. Diabetes and cardiovascular risk factors, such as smoking, obesity and high blood pressure, can worsen cataracts and speed up their progression.
3. Excessive ultraviolet light from sunlight is also believed to play a role in the advancement of cataracts and the worsening of your vision.
At ECFS, our our focus and dedication to medical eye care is demonstrated by our state-of-the-art technology and continued improvement in our medical model of optometry. If you feel you’re at risk for cataracts, or you experience any of the above symptoms, please call our office at 541-726-5055 to schedule an appointment for a medical eye exam. We will discuss the severity of cataracts, and the impact they may be having on your vision and quality of life. If necessary, we’ll also discuss the details of cataract surgery, and set up a consultation with a leading cataract surgeon. All surgeries are co-managed with the surgeon and our office, and we will guide you through the whole process.