Life Is Unclear With Cataracts
Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness worldwide. According to Mission Cataract, about 15 million people have lost their vision to cataracts.
How Do Cataracts Happen?
Cataracts affect the lens of your eye. A clear lens will effectively focus your vision. However, cataracts obscure your eye’s lens, either tinting and darkening eyesight, or blurring vision. Cataracts can occur at any stage of life, but they most commonly affect us as we age.
Cataract Surgery Can Restore Sight
Cataracts are progressive, gradually growing until they completely obscure vision. No medication or diet has proven effective against cataracts. However, sight can be restored with cataract surgery, which replaces the compromised lens of your eye with a new, clear, artificial one. Over 1.5 million cataract surgeries are done in the U.S. each year.
Reduce Your Risk
Eye-healthy habits can reduce your risk for cataracts as you age.
- Quit smoking, or never start.
- Avoid overexposure to the sun by guarding your eyes with UV-blocking lenses.
- Maintain control over systemic diseases like diabetes that can affect eye health.
Treasure Your Eyesight
We recommend that everyone makes annual eye exams a priority in order to catch early signs of changing vision. Show your appreciation for the precious gift of sight by protecting it for years to come.