Growing old is a wonderful thing, if you embrace it. You can celebrate several things about it- strikingly steely hair, mature and classy look and elegant persona. Sure, there are challenges like aches and pains, but these can be managed with a few lifestyle changes and necessary medical assistance. Bigger things in life can always be dealt with, but sometimes the smallest of things can cause big problems in your advanced years. And, cataracts are one of those things!
Causes of Cataract
Cataracts are clouding of the eye’s lens, which impairs vision leading to blindness in old age. There are various causes for developing cataract, and the most common cause is build up of protein in the eye, which prevents light from passing through the lens, leading to blurred vision in old age. Genetic history, eye injury and inflammation, diabetes, hypertension and exposure to direct sunlight for long hours are some of the other causes for this condition. Cataracts usually form very slowly through the years, and you might not notice it until it starts blocking your vision considerably.
People with cataract will experience some of these symptoms:
- Unclear vision, something like looking through an old cloudy glass or frosted glass
- Cloudy vision with spots, dots or patches
- Bad eyesight when the light is dim or during the night
- Impaired vision on bright days
- Difficulty in reading
- Unclear vision even with glasses on
- Seeing a halo around bright objects, such as vehicle headlights or road lights
- Some people also experience double vision in one of the eyes
Cataracts cannot completely be prevented; however, you can reduce the risk of developing it in later stages by adopting the following steps-
- Say no to smoking: Some studies suggest that people who smoke develop cataract more that those do not smoke. Smoking not only increases your chances of developing cataract, but also increases the risk of other eye related diseases.
- Nutritious food: Include lots of green vegetables, fruits, whole grains, plant/lean meat proteins and carbohydrates to your diet. This reduces your chances of getting cataract early in life.
- Stay away from direct sunlight: The UV radiations from the sun can harm your eyes, leading to cataracts. Protect your eyes by wearing sunglasses when out in the sun.
- Diabetes: If you have diabetes, take your medication and keep blood sugar level in control. People with diabetes are at a higher risk of getting cataract.