Aging entails a series of deteriorations in vision. The most common is presbyopia or tired eyesight, which makes it difficult for a person to focus closely. But there is another ocular pathology with special incidence among the older population: cataracts.
To understand why cataracts arise, you must first know what the lens of the eye is. It consists of a lens that is responsible for filtering the sun’s rays so that they reach the retina and, thanks to this process, the images we see are formed. When the crystalline lens is losing transparency, there is a progressive loss of vision in one or both eyes.
Although this loss of visual clarity begins gradually, it continues to progress until the person’s vision is considerably reduced and, consequently, conditioning their daily activities. For this reason, it is essential to identify the symptoms and signs of it, in order to go to an ophthalmological check-up as soon as possible to remedy the cataracts.
Aging is the main risk factor for cataracts in the eyes. But, in addition, there are other causes that influence. Among them, conditions such as diabetes or obesity, as well as high blood pressure.
Abusing substances such as alcohol and tobacco also interfere with eye health. Persistent taking of corticosteroid medications is associated with an increased risk of cataracts. Likewise, if we usually expose our eyes to the sun without adequate protection, it increases the probability of cataracts.
The treatment to cure cataracts consists of a surgical intervention. It is usually done by ultrasound or laser. It is a simple operation, which hardly involves risks, is painless and has a quick recovery.
For this reason, it is important to go for regular eye exams and not miss any indication that our vision is deteriorating. In this case, early intervention will be of great help to prevent further vision loss.
