Cataracts Treatment in Champaign IL
A cataract is a clouding in the lens of the eye. Seeing the world through a cataract is a bit like trying to see the world through a foggy window. Cataracts can impact quality of life by impairing your ability to read, recognize faces and drive.
In the early stages, a cataract is little more than a nuisance. Over time, cataracts can cause blindness. At your eye doctor in Champaign, IL we provide eye care and cataract surgery for patients in need.
Cataracts Causes
Cataracts develop when aging or injury changes the lens of the eyes. Some medical conditions (like diabetes) can cause cataracts, as can past eye surgeries and long-term use of steroid medications.
Cataracts Types
There are multiple types of cataracts.
- Nuclear cataract. This is a cataract that clouds the center of your vision. When the cataract first develops, it may cause your reading vision to temporarily improve, but eventually, your vision will become cloudy and yellow.
- Cortical cataracts. This cataract begins at the outer edges of your vision and eventually closes in on your center field of vision.
- Subcapsular cataracts. This type of cataract starts in the back of the lens in the path of light and quickly interferes with vision, causing halos around lights at night and preventing you from reading in dim lighting.
- Congenital cataracts. These cataracts are genetic or may be caused by intrauterine infection, and may develop during childhood.
Who Is at Risk for Cataracts?
Some people are more at risk for cataracts than others. Factors that increase the risk for cataracts include:
- Obesity
- Older age
- Exposure to sunlight
- Smoking
- High blood pressure
- Previous eye surgery, injury or infection
- Excessive alcohol consumption
- Prolonged use of certain medications
Symptoms of Cataracts
Some of the signs and symptoms of cataracts include:
- Blurry, clouded vision
- Sensitivity to light and glare
- Halos around bright objects
- Difficulty seeing at night and in low-light conditions
- Need to turn on bright light while reading
- Yellowing of colors or fading of colors
- Frequent changes in eyeglasses
- Double vision in one eye
Many cataracts start small and grow bigger with time, so the symptoms may be mild at first and then grow more severe as time goes on. If you’ve noticed any of the symptoms above or a change in your vision, see the eye doctor in Champaign.
How Are Cataracts Diagnosed?
If you have symptoms of a cataract, your doctor will perform an eye examination, discuss your symptoms, and perform some tests.
- Slit-lamp examination. This type of lamp reveals what’s going on in the front of your eyes. Slit-lamp examination involves a line of light that illuminates abnormalities in the lens of your eye.
- Retinal exam. This type of exam requires the eye doctor to put drops in your eyes to dilate the pupils. This makes it easier to examine the eyes for signs of a cataract.
- Visual acuity test. This is a type of test that most people have experienced before. During the visual acuity test, your eye doctor uses a chart to measure how well a series of letters can be read. During the visual acuity test, the eyes are tested one at a time while the eye is covered.
Cataract Treatment in Champaign
Your doctor may recommend a change in prescription eyeglasses when your cataracts first appear, but once stronger glasses are unable to solve the problem, the only solution to a cataract is surgery. Most people don’t get surgery for mild cataracts – it’s only after the cataract affects their normal daily activities, like driving, that the surgery becomes necessary.
If you have cataracts but are not going to get surgery at this time, your eye doctor in Champaign may recommend regular check-ins to track the progress of the cataract. Some cataracts progress faster than others, and your eye doctor will want to stay on top of the problem.
Cataract Prevention
While there is no sure-fire way to prevent cataracts from forming, there are some things you can do that may prevent cataracts from forming in your eyes.
- Quit smoking. Smoking can increase the risk of cataracts. If you would like to stop smoking, speak to your eye doctor.
- Get regular eye exams. During your eye exam, your eye doctor can help you detect cataracts in their earliest stages.
- Eat right. Eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, with antioxidants. Antioxidants are good for your eyes.
- Wear sunglasses. Excessive exposure to sunlight can contribute to the development of cataracts. When choosing sunglasses, be sure to choose a product that blocks UVB rays.
- Manage diabetes and other conditions that put you at risk. Work with your doctor to manage any conditions, like diabetes, that might put you at risk for cataracts.
- Control alcohol use. Excessive drinking can put you at risk for cataracts.
Think You Have Cataracts? Contact Your Eye Doctor in Champaign, IL
Cataracts are a treatable condition. If you currently suffer from cataracts or if you display signs of cataracts, call your eye doctor in Champaign.
At Champaign Eye Professionals, we help with the management, diagnosis and treatment of eye conditions like cataracts. Call today to make an appointment and get your eye checkup.
