Cataracts Treatments to Help Take Control of Your Vision

Advice for the 25 million Americans that have the condition in honor of Cataract Awareness Month

From the LifeMinute.TV Team

June 29, 2022

Cataracts are more common than you think -- 50% of people in the U.S. over the age of 75 have them. Cataracts are the leading cause of preventable blindness worldwide, impacting more than 94 million people. Yet there is a significant lack of understanding and hesitancy around treatment options, including surgical procedures to correct vision loss. Here’s some advice for the 25 million Americans that have the condition.

“Cataracts begin to form when most people are in their 40s,” says ophthalmologist Ashley Brissette. “Most people will get them at some point in their life.” The doctor describes cataracts as the clouding and yellowing of the lens in your eye – making it hard to see clearly. Since cataracts start small and form slowly, the impact may not be noticeable at first. “As the cataract grows larger, it clouds more of the lens and distorts the light passing through the lens, leading to more noticeable symptoms such as blurred, dim, or cloudy vision,” says Dr. Brissette.

Although treatment is out there, Dr. Brissette says many people aren't taking advantage of it. Cataracts are treated surgically, but a recent study* showed that only 1 out of 3 adults say that they would get cataract surgery, she explains. "I think that’s primarily due to low awareness and misinformation around what a cataract is and the surgery itself," says Dr. Brissette. She explains it’s a pretty quick surgery and recovery is fairly quick. “We always do one eye at a time. That allows your first eye to heal. Then the second eye shortly after that,” she says.

So, what can you do if you think you or a loved one may be experiencing cataract symptoms? Prioritize your eyes by speaking to an eye doctor. The newly launched website clearvisionforyou.com is a great resource to find a doctor near you and learn more about cataract treatment.

And today, there are so many lenses to choose from that will best suit the patient’s lifestyle after they have had surgery to remove their cataracts. Not only can doctors provide their patients crisp, clear vision, but they can also treat other eye conditions such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism, depending on the lens selected – potentially reducing the need for glasses.

For instance, a monofocal lens such as TECNIS Eyhance IOL can provide excellent distance vision. Newer lenses can also increase visibility in low-light situations like driving at night. And presbyopia-correcting lenses, like the TECNIS Synergy Intraocular Lenses IOLs, deliver near, intermediate, and far vision, reducing the need for glasses.

The doctor also says to get yearly eye exams, no matter your age. And if you think you or a loved one may have cataracts, then absolutely make a consultation with an ophthalmologist – it’s your first step to life after cataracts. Cataract surgery with the TECNIS portfolio of solutions can correct vision to 20/20 and help patients gain the independence to do the things they love.

To learn more, or find an ophthalmologist near you, visit clearvisionforyou.com.

* The survey was conducted online in August 2020 by True Global Intelligence—the in-house research practice of Fleishman Hillard—among more than 6,000 adults 18 years of age or older across the united states, Japan, China, Germany, Russia, and the United Kingdom.