It’s a given that getting cataract surgery results in an individual’s vision vastly improving, but that’s not the only takeaway from the operation that you should be excited about.
As we grow older, it is common for natural shifts to increase our chances of developing cataracts. You might notice that now you need a little more light when you’re reading a book or trying to read a small-printed restaurant menu. Or maybe you can no longer drive at night because it’s simply too hard to see with glare and reflections. Regardless of where your changes in daily life are on the spectrum, these can moreover impact your vision and quality of life.
Loss of vision has been directly linked to anxiety and depression. Individuals may no longer find the same type of joy in things that once made them happy if they have cataracts. The individual may still be physically able to perform their favorite activities, but could ultimately no longer feel interested.
Aside from vision improvements, here are three main benefits of cataract surgery.
-
Heighten Your Quality of Life
Doing simple everyday tasks like reading, driving, and flipping through the channels on a television guide can become significantly harder to accomplish for someone living with cataracts. These individuals may become socially withdrawn and feel less independent. A study conducted in 2013 found that the quality of life for individuals who underwent cataract surgery improved by 36 percent compared to those who did not.
-
Lower Your Risk of Falls and Fractures
Falls become more dangerous as we grow older and our bones can no longer take heavy impacts like they used to at a much younger age. Many falls which end up with bone fractures are a result of vision loss. In 2012, a study was published which evaluated Medicare beneficiaries (65 years and older) who were diagnosed with cataracts. The study found that corrective eye surgery decreased the possibility of a hip fracture by 16 percent one year after the procedure. Hip fractures for those with severe cataracts decreased by 23 percent.
-
Increase Your Chances of a Longer Life
A study published in 2013 connected laser vision correction with better long-term survival for individuals who fall under the elderly category. The same study showed a 40 percent difference in mortality risk for those who underwent cataract surgery against those who did not. This basically says that getting the procedure done increases your chances of living longer.
Why Do People Get Cataracts in the First Place?
Cataracts develop when there is a change in the proteins in the lens of the eye. Most cataract cases come about with aging or if an injury changes the tissue that makes up your eye’s lens. Light is no longer able to pass through, or at least a very minimal amount of light is able to because the proteins make the lens cloudy. The loss of light causes vision loss. While it is possible for those in younger age groups to have cataracts, it becomes more prominent as people age.
Common symptoms of cataracts include:
- Vision is blurred
- Extreme sensitivity to light
- Increasingly difficult to see at night
- Glare
- Halos around lights
What You Can Do to Protect Your Eyes and Vision
While trying to eliminate the chance of getting cataracts is completely useless, there are a few steps you can take to protect your eyes:
- Get your eyes checked regularly: the development of cataracts is usually slow with very few symptoms. If you get an eye exam regularly, your ophthalmologist can detect the disease in its early stages and check how much vision has been lost and what steps you should take next.
- Wear the eyeglasses meant for your prescription: great, you’re getting a routine check up! Now keep in mind that it is crucial for your eyeglasses to change if your prescription does. Consult with your ophthalmologist after your checkup to see if a new pair of glasses is necessary. Don’t strain your eyes, eyeglasses are there to help alleviate that.
- Quit smoking: smoking increases the likeliness of your developing cataracts. Not only that, but smoking can lead to other deteriorating health conditions as well.
Quick Insights on Cataract Surgery
During a laser vision correction surgery, the eye surgeon will remove and replace the cloudy lens in the eye with an artificial lens made out of clear plastic or acrylic. This is one of the safest and most frequent surgeries performed in the United States to date.
Ninety-five percent of people who have undergone a cataract surgery claim to have improved vision after their procedure. Talk to your eye doctor such as Doctor Moosa in Los Angeles to see if cataract surgery would be a good fit for you!