More than 25 million Americans have cataracts, and that number keeps increasing. If your vision isn’t as sharp as it used to be, Curtis Frank, OD, an experienced optometrist, and the highly skilled team at Vision and Ortho-K Center in Boston, Massachusetts, can examine your eyes to see if cataracts are the reason for your clouded or blurred vision. Learn if you’re at risk for developing cataracts as you get older and the available treatment options. Call the office, or book online today.
A cataract is a clouding of the clear lens in your eye. The lenses in your eyes are normally clear, but cataracts make it seem like you’re looking through a steamed-up window where everything looks fuzzy. Cataracts may be inherited, the result of an eye injury or the natural aging process.
Cataracts form when lens tissue breaks down and clumps together forming small cloudy areas on your eye’s lens. As the cataract gets bigger, it covers more of your lens and distorts your vision. The different types of cataracts include:
You can develop cataracts as a child or later in life when you’re older, which is quite common.
You increase your risk of developing cataracts with any of the following:
You also put yourself at risk if you spend a lot of time in the sun without sunglasses to protect your eyes from ultraviolet rays.
Cloudy or blurred vision is common when you have cataracts, and other signs include:
Since cataracts usually develop gradually, you may not notice a difference in changes in your vision until the cataract gets larger.
At first, stronger glasses or contacts may help you see better with cataracts. When cataracts affect your vision and make daily tasks difficult, cataract surgery to replace the lens in your eye can help you see clearly again. During surgery, your doctor removes the clouded lens from your eye and replaces it with a permanent, clear intraocular lens (IOL).
Cataract surgery is a relatively simple, painless procedure, thanks to lasers. And your new IOL can correct your vision, so you may not even need to rely on glasses all the time. As an optometrist with more than 30 years of experience, Dr. Frank specializes in cataract surgical co-management. He helps you prepare for surgery, works closely with your surgeon, and provides your postoperative care and follow-up eye exams.
If you suspect you have cataracts, don’t wait to seek treatment. Contact Vision and Ortho-K Center by phone or through the online booking tool.