Having trouble driving at night?
If you are starting to feel uncomfortable driving at night or avoid it all together, then you may be developing a cataract. One of the first signs of a cataract is difficulty driving at night or glare. Other symptoms include blurring of your vision, decrease in detection of colors and contrasts in objects, or trouble seeing in low light. As cataracts progress, you may have trouble with near or distance vision that cannot be corrected with new glasses.
What is a Cataract?
A cataract is a common age-related condition in which we lose the ability to see both distance and near. A cataract causes the lens of our eye to become cloudy. Cataract in the Latin language means ‘waterfall’. In a cataract, the lens becomes white and opaque, appearing like white water flowing down a waterfall. This in turn limits the light transmission through the lens, causing difficulty in seeing.
How do Cataracts form?
A cataract is generally an age-related condition. However, it can also occur in other settings, such as trauma, radiation treatment, smoking, certain medical conditions such as diabetes, and certain medications such as steroids. In its age-related form, cataracts develop over time from exposure to ultra-violet (UV) light and other biological or environmental triggers. Although cataracts cannot be completely prevented, we do recommend sunglasses when outdoors in heavy sun light to protect both the lens and the retina from harmful UV rays.
What do I do if I have Cataracts or their symptoms?
If you have any of the symptoms discussed, then you should call our office at 203-878-1236 to schedule an appointment for a comprehensive eye examination. Through an exam, we will inspect all the structures of the eye including the cornea, iris, lens, retina, and optic nerve to make a diagnosis of cataract and to rule out other conditions that may be causing your symptoms.
How do I improve my vision if I have Cataracts?
The good news is that if your cataracts are causing significant symptoms, then they can be removed in a quick and painless procedure. However,
not all cataracts need to be removed. If your lifestyle is not significantly affected by your vision changes, then your cataracts can be observed.
You may find that updating your glasses or utilizing more light may allow you to perform your daily activities better. We may also ask you to reduce smoking, improve your diabetes control, or increase your use of sunglasses.
What can I expect if I need Cataract surgery?
We can perform sutureless cataract surgery under topical anesthesia in minutes allowing you to go back to your normal routine shortly after surgery. We remove your natural lens and replace it with an artificial lens that lasts a lifetime. We have multiple types of lenses at our disposal, including lenses that will correct astigmatism called Toric lenses, and lenses that will correct both near and distance vision called Multifocal lenses.
Blog posted by Dr. Omar Faridi a board-certified ophthalmologist and fellowship trained in medical and surgical glaucoma. For more information on cataracts, cataract surgery, or other services, feel free to contact us at (203) 878-1236 in any one of our 4 offices in Milford, Orange, Branford, or Shelton. We are looking forward to hearing from you soon.
