All About Cataracts Go Back

June is Cataract Awareness Month! To celebrate here at Wollongong Eye Specialists we thought we would give you all a little bit of info or the Who/What/Where of cataracts.

Cataracts are a very common eye condition. In fact, the mycataracts.com website estimates that "By age 65, over 90% of people in the US will develop cataracts. By age 75, their cataracts can really affect their vision"

A cataract is when the natural lens in the eye becomes cloudy with a build-up of proteins. This cloudiness restricts the amount of light that can enter the eye and land on the retina, restricting vision. There is no treatment that can stop the build-up of this protein, so anyone who says they can stop cataracts developing through supplements or eyedrops should not be trusted! Your optometrist or ophthalmologist is always the best source of information and advice about such things, rather than Dr Google.

Although almost everyone will develop cataracts as they age, they do affect people differently and at different stages. It does depend upon where the cloudiness is positioned within the lens, as to much your vision is affected.

Some signs or symptoms of cataracts include:

• Blurred vision
• Problems with glare eg. Night driving
• Shadows around images and lights
• Changing of colour perception
• Double vision out of one eye

The first port of call if you are experiencing any of the above is your optometrist. They will check your vision and look at the lens to see if there is any cloudiness. From there, you will be referred to your ophthalmologist who will assess the cataract and discuss with you if it is ready to be removed. Once the lens is removed, it is replaced with a new clear acrylic lens. Please see our earlier post which details all the different types of IOLs or Intraocular Lenses.

Our cataract surgeon, Dr Smita Agarwal, has performed thousands of cataract surgeries in her time and would love to help you if are ready to have something done. Drop in or call us to book your appointment and we will discuss with you your options for great post-cataract vision!