June: Cataract Awareness Month

Cataract is the leading cause of blindness in the world.  Indiana eye doctors see more cases of cataract than glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy combined.

In an effort to educate the public on the risk factors, symptoms and treatment options, Prevent Blindness America has deemed June as Cataract Awareness Month.

More than 22 million Americans age 40 and over are affected by cataract.  It is predicted that by the year 2020, more than 30 million Americans will have cataracts.

Cataract is a clouding of the eye’s lens. The lens works like a camera lens.  It focuses light onto the retina at the back of the eye and adjusts the eye’s focus.  Vision may become blurry because the cataract prevents light from passing through to the retina.

Your risk factor is determined by your family history, lifestyle habits (such as smoking and UV exposure) and overall health (like diabetes).

Prevent Blindness American identifies the following problems as indicators that you may have a cataract:

• Blurred vision, double vision, ghost images, or the sense of a “film” over the eyes
• Lights seem too dim for reading or close-up work, or eyes are “dazzled” by strong light
• Eyeglass prescriptions change often and the change does not seem to help vision
• Double vision in one eye
• A milky or yellowish spot develops in the pupil

To discuss your risk of developing a cataract, see Dr. Tavel and his board certified associates for a comprehensive eye examination.