What You Should Know When You Are Diagnosed With Cataracts: Tips For You
When you go to the eye doctor because of trouble with your vision, you may just expect to get a new prescription for your corrective lenses. However, if you come away instead with a cataracts diagnosis, you may be unsure of what to think or do about the situation. While you may feel defeated or despondent about the situation, it is more beneficial to you to begin learning what you can and should do to deal with your cataracts. Get to know more about what you should do and know when you are diagnosed with cataracts so you can take the best possible care of your eyes possible going forward.
Surgery is the Only Surefire Way to Get Rid of Cataracts
Cataract surgery is the only permanent solution for getting rid of cataracts. They cannot be cured through taking medications or through self-care or home remedies. The surgical option for cataracts involves removing the lens of the eye as a cataract is the clouding of the lens. The affected lens is then replaced with an artificial lens.
While eye surgery may sound a bit scary, it is considered to be a minor outpatient surgery in most cases. The surgery itself takes less than an hour normally and the appointment as a whole make last three to four hours if there are no unforeseen complications. However, just because you are diagnosed with cataracts does not mean that you have to have surgery right away, there are options that can help slow the cataract development process until you are ready to commit to surgery.
Wearing Protective Eyewear Can Help with Vision Loss and Slow Cataract Progress
Protective eyewear like sunglasses that are designed to block UV rays from penetrating into your eyes. UV rays can cause vision problems in the immediate moment (sun blindness) as well as long term vision damage. Repeated exposure to UV rays can cause the tissues in the eyes to deteriorate and scar causing permanent damage.
In fact, sun exposure is one of the possible causes of cataracts in the first place. Because of this potential added eye damage, protecting your eyes from direct sun exposure can slow the progress of your cataracts and vision loss. Choose protective eyewear that blocks out both UVA and UVB rays to better filter light.
Keep Your Corrective Lenses Updated
Corrective lenses can be a temporary fix for your cataract-related vision loss. However, you will want to go to visit the eye doctor on a regular basis to keep your prescription up-to-date as your vision correction needs will change more rapidly with cataracts than with other vision issues. If you begin to experience blurred vision, difficulty seeing long or short distances, or the like even when wearing your lenses, it is likely time to get a new prescription and have your cataracts checked out by your optometrist.
With these tips and facts in mind, you can better handle dealing with your cataracts and know what to expect. For more details, click here for info about cataracts.
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