Cataract Awareness Month

BINGHAMTON, NY - August is Cataract Awareness Month, a time to focus on keeping your eyes healthy. Taking your vision for granted at any time may cost you some or all of your sight.

"Cataracts are a major cause of vision loss," said Claudia Edwards, Public Health Director of the Broome County Health Department. "They're often invisible until they're at an advanced stage. That's why it's important to have regular, complete eye exams."

The eye contains a lens, just like a camera lens, Ms. Edwards said. This lens is normally clear and helps us focus. If the lens becomes cloudy, we say that eye has a cataract. People with cataracts may say everything looks a little blurry. Although a cataract often starts in one eye, both eyes usually form cataracts.

This eye disorder may be caused by several factors, one of which is aging, said Ms. Edwards. People may have cataracts in their 40s or 50s, but they are usually so small that they hardly affect their vision. After age 60, most cataracts cause a more significant loss of sight.

The following factors may make you more likely to develop cataracts personal or family history of cataracts or eye disorders/diseases; having diseases, such as HIV or diabetes; using corticosteroid drugs over a period of years; receiving high amounts of ultraviolet radiation from the sun; and/or suffering an injury to your eyeball.

Ms. Edwards said you may have cataracts if:

• You have trouble passing a vision test to obtain a driver's license.
• You experience a gradual vision change. The sensation may be like looking through fog.
• Your vision may be worse in dim or bright light.
• You begin to have problems with night vision, particularly when driving. You notice glare and halos around oncoming lights.
• You notice a change when reading. You may temporarily be able to read without your glasses, a condition known as second sight. As the degree of clouding increases, your improved reading ability decreases.
• You may need more frequent changes in your eyeglass prescription.

To protect your vision, she said, you should have a complete eye exam by an eye care professional every two to four years if you are 40 to 64 years old, and every one to two years if you are older than age 65.

The most effective treatment for cataracts is surgical removal. However, you may not need surgery for a few years, if at all. Sometimes it is recommended early if there is a risk that the cataract may lead to other eye complications. Your condition should be closely watched by your eye care professional.

"For some, the thought of having cataracts is alarming," she said. "However, this is one of the most effectively treated eye disorders."

For more information about cataracts, contact the Broome County Health Department at 607.778.3921.

CONTACT:

Diane O'Hora, Supervising Public Health Educator,
Broome County Health Department, 607.778.3921
email: dohora@co.broome.ny.us

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