Are you experiencing blurry vision? Do you find it challenging to drive at night? This could be a sign that you have cataracts.
We understand that it is a big decision to have cataract surgery. Cataract surgery can seem scary but it’s really not! Keep reading for some of the reasons you should have cataract surgery!
Age
Once you reach a certain age, it can be challenging to tell if vision changes are due to age or if it’s cataracts. It can take years for cataracts to develop.
Cataracts occur when the lens in your eye becomes blurry, weaker, and thinner. Comprehensive eye exams can help determine if you have cataracts.
If it’s not cataracts, it could be another eye condition. Until age 64, you should get eye exams every two years, and annually for adults 65 and up. Half of the people who are 80 years old will end up having cataracts.
Blurry Vision
Cataracts can create blurry vision, increased glare from lights, and make colors duller. Your eye doctor will do a range of tests. These can include cataract thickness, looking at your amount of glare, vision tests, and your refraction.
Sometimes getting a different prescription can be the solution; but, it might not. How to proceed next is up to you.
Another sign of cataracts is that you see halos at night. You could experience this before your doctor observes clouded lenses.
For some people, this is the only reason they need to help them see it’s time for cataract surgery. This is a big deal if you want to be able to drive at night.
Quality of Life
When vision problems impact your life, hobbies, and work, your quality of life goes down. Surgery might be the best option if you cannot live your life and your glasses and/or contacts do not help.
Sometimes it’s the little things that get in your way the most. Glare from cataracts impacts your ability to drive at night. Experiencing blurry vision can make hobbies more challenging.
Even though you may not want surgery, it could mean the difference between injury and safety.
Another Eye Condition
Sometimes you can have another eye condition besides cataract. When this happens, both eye conditions are often fixable with cataract surgery.
In some situations, your doctor could recommend cataract surgery to solve both conditions. Cataracts could make it too difficult for your doctor to see the back of your eye.
If you have another condition, it’s important to be able to watch the back of the eye. This is when getting cataract surgery to remove your cataracts makes the most sense.
Cataracts in Both Eyes
It is possible to have cataracts in both eyes. If you do, most surgeons recommend surgery on the worse eye first.
For some patients, the first surgery is so successful that you might not want surgery for the other eye. Patients experience significant changes in their vision when they fix both eyes.
Examples of improvements are driving at night or performing detailed tasks. If you only remove one cataract instead of both, you won’t be able to take part in these activities safely.
Do you think you have cataracts? Our team of doctors will help you make the best decision about how to treat your cataracts. Schedule a cataract screening at Stahl Eyecare Experts in Garden City, NY today!
