Four Questions to Help You Decide When It’s Right Time to Have Cataract Surgery
If you have been told that you have a cataract how do you decide when it’s time to have cataract surgery and lens implants? This may be challenging but doesn’t need to be difficult if you know how to think it through by asking some important questions.
Are your cataracts impacting your daily or occupational activities?
Symptoms of cataracts include dim, blurry or yellowed vision and can even double vision in a single eye. The lack of contrast and clarity can be difficult for those who need clear vision for work, driving or who enjoy hobbies like reading, cooking or sewing.
Are your cataracts affecting your ability to drive safely at night?
Cataracts can cause halos around lights and difficulty seeing in low-light settings, impacting the ability to safely drive at night. Advanced cataracts can even cause enough vision loss to fail the vision test required for a driver’s license.
Are your cataracts interfering with the outdoor activities you enjoy?
Cataracts can also increase sensitivity to glare, which can be especially troublesome for those who enjoy skiing, surfing and a number of other outdoor activities. They can also cause visual differences from one eye to the other, which can affect the distance vision golfers need.
Can you manage your cataracts in other ways?
Those who decide “it’s not yet time” and to put off cataract surgery can make the most of their vision with a few simple tools, such as incorporating brighter lighting and contrasting colors in the home. Polarized sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat can reduce glare, while magnifying lenses can make reading easier.
Nearly 25.7 million Americans over age 40 have cataracts and the number is projected to increase to 45.6 million by 2050. While the only way to remove cataracts, the right time to have surgery depends on the individual patient. Although the prospect of cataract surgery can be intimidating, the procedure itself is the most common elective surgery among Medicare beneficiaries in the United States. Studies have demonstrated the relationship between having cataracts removed and improved quality of life, reduced risk of falling, fewer car crashes and even a lower long-term mortality risk than those who did not.
If cataracts aren’t disrupting your life, you can probably wait and have surgery when they really start to bother you. But for those who are feeling impeded by their blurry or dulled vision, the procedure can make a significant beneficial impact.
If you or some you know is experiencing cataract symptoms such as cloudy foggy vision, glare or difficult night driving and would like to learn more about cataract surgery & lens implants please call your local optometrist to schedule an appointment. If specialty care, treatment or surgery is required, please ask to be referred to one of the physicians at Eyecare Medical Group, 53 Sewall Street, Portland, Maine 04102 at 888-374-2020, or visit Eyecare Medical Group, Google+ or facebook.com/eyecaremedicalgroup.
