Awareness of Cataract Symptoms Important

The Eye Care & Surgery Center believes people-especially seniors-should be aware of the symptoms of cataracts and how a cataract can impact vision, quality of life and general mobility and safety.

What is a Cataract?

A cataract is a clouding of the crystalline lens of the eye preventing light rays from passing through it easily. Cataracts are not a growth or a film over the eye.

Who Gets Cataracts?

More than 20 million Americans age 40 and older have cataracts and more than half of all Americans over 65 have some degree of cataract development. In fact cataracts are a leading cause of vision loss among seniors.

What Are the Symptoms of Cataracts?

Cataracts cause a clouding and blurring of vision. For many patients a cataract can start out slowly and have little effect on vision at first. But, as the cataract becomes denser, so does the impact on vision. The most common symptoms that bother patients with cataracts can include blurring of vision, sensitivity to light and glare, double vision in one eye, poor night vision, fading or yellowing of colors and frequent changes in glasses or contact lens prescriptions.

How Do Cataracts & Vision Loss Affect Daily Life?

Poor vision in seniors is often associated with premature or accelerated mental decline. Reduced vision also challenges the safety and mobility of patients resulting in putting patients at increased risk for orthopedic injury-especially hip fracture. So, helping seniors restore vision with cataract surgery has an important place in securing senior health, well being, mobility, safety and mental state.

When cataracts begin to interfere with daily activities or with patient comfort, mobility and safety, they can be treated surgically. Cataract surgery is one of the safest and most frequently performed surgeries in the United States. Today, we have a full range of lens implants available that allow us to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism and even near vision problems after cataract surgery, as well as distance vision, without requiring bifocals or reading glasses for the vast majority of patients.

If you or someone you know has questions about symptoms of cataracts, cataract surgery or lens implants please feel free to call The Eye Care & Surgery Center at 908-789-8999, visit The Eye Care & Surgery Center or facebook.com/eyecareandsurgerycenter to schedule an appointment.

With locations at 592 Springfield Avenue, Westfield, New Jersey 07090, 10 Mountain Boulevard, Warren, New Jersey 07059 and 517 Route One South, Suite 1100, Iselin, New Jersey 08830, The Eye Care & Surgery Center is a leading NJ eye care practice conveniently located for patients from throughout central and northern New Jersey.