Cataracts can form when proteins in an eye's lens clump together, clouding vision. If you ignore cataracts, your vision could worsen over time. Fortunately, there are several treatments available to help improve or restore your vision. Here are five common cataract treatment options you can try with the green light from your eye doctor.
1) Lifestyle modifications
Lifestyle modifications may involve making nutritional and lifestyle changes that can help reduce the risk of developing or worsening cataracts. Eating a balanced diet full of antioxidants, wearing sunglasses that block both UVA and UVC rays, quitting smoking, reducing alcohol consumption, and getting regular eye exams can help slow the progression of cataracts. Your eye doctor can talk to you about other lifestyle changes for cataract treatment based on your unique symptoms.
2) Medications
Some patients get relief from medication for cataracts and may find that they are able to prevent or postpone cataract surgery. Eye drops containing corticosteroids can be used to help reduce inflammation and slow the progression of cataracts. There are also a few oral medications that may help prevent cataracts from advancing, such as anti-inflammatory drugs.
3) Eye Vitamins
It's important to get enough nutrients from your diet, but eye vitamins are a great way to make sure you're getting plenty of the vitamins and minerals that can help prevent cataracts. Some of the most common eye vitamins contain omega-3 fatty acids, lutein, and zeaxanthin. Discuss with your eye doctor what vitamins are best for you and how to take them properly. Otherwise, you may experience side effects due to taking the wrong dosages or combining eye vitamins with other meds, such as prescription pills.
4) Cataract Surgery
If lifestyle modifications and medications don't help enough, your eye doctor may suggest cataract surgery. During this procedure, the cloudy lens in your eye is replaced with a new one made out of plastic or silicon. Recovery time varies, but many people can go back to their normal activities within a few days. Cataract surgery has a high success rate, so it may be the best option for restoring your vision.
5) Intraocular Lens Implants
For those who don't want to have cataract surgery, another option is intraocular lens implants (IOLs). An IOL is a tiny lens that is surgically inserted behind the iris and acts like a new lens for your eye. IOLs can improve vision and reduce dependence on glasses or contact lenses. However, unlike cataract surgery, IOLs don't always provide perfect vision.
Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of this type of cataract treatment as well as the others listed above. Contact a local optometrist clinic such as the Eye Institute of Mississippi to learn more.
When you look in the mirror and focus on your eyes, what do you see? Hopefully you see a strong and vibrant person — someone who enjoys and embraces life. Hopefully you also see a set of healthy eyes, although that can be tough to determine just with a glance in the mirror. Eyes can look healthy on the surface when really something sinister is going on inside of them. That's one reason why visiting the eye doctor is so important.
If you would like to learn more about eye health, optometrists, and even contact lenses, you've come to the right place. We curated the articles on this website very carefully to provide you with the best information on these topics.