Even after being diagnosed with cataracts, many men and women choose to postpone treatment. The first signs of cataracts don’t necessarily interfere with someone’s life, but subtle changes that occur over time need to be closely monitored so individuals don’t wait too long to get cataract surgery.
In the Louisville, KY, region we serve, our eye doctors encourage patients to undergo cataract surgery before the condition worsens. With that in mind, let’s look at some questions to ask yourself to see whether you’re ready for cataract surgery.
Do cataracts affect your daily life, including your job?
Typical cataract symptoms include dim or blurry vision. Double vision in a single eye can even be a symptom for some patients. Blurred vision, of course, can be a safety issue when you’re driving if it’s severe enough. People who need clear vision for work may also notice cataracts impacting their lives. And for women or men who enjoy hobbies such as reading, cooking, or sewing, blurry vision can undermine your enjoyment of these activities.
Are cataracts impairing your enjoyment of outdoor activities?
Increased sensitivity to glare is another symptom of cataracts. This can pose problems for people who enjoy recreational activities such as skiing, tennis, or even just daily walks. Visual differences from one eye to the other can make it difficult to judge distance, which can affect not only your enjoyment but also your ability at many activities.
Can you safely drive at night?
Halos caused by cataracts can form around lights and make it difficult to see in low-light settings, making it dangerous to drive during dusk and at night. People with advanced cataracts can even fail the vision test taken to renew a driver’s license.
Some people put off cataract surgery because they believe that cataracts can be reversed naturally. This is one of the myths about cataracts that we wrote about in a previous blog post. As the eye’s lens becomes cloudy with age, the process continues and can’t be reversed. Men and women who choose to postpone treatment for cataracts can incorporate brighter lighting at home to improve their vision and wear polarized sunglasses and wide-brimmed hats to reduce outdoor glare. Magnifying glasses can help with reading.
But blurry vision can be unsafe in a number of situations that can’t necessarily be corrected, especially driving, and we encourage people with cataracts to consult with board-certified ophthalmologists to determine whether cataract surgery is needed. You can contact us using the online form to request a consultation with one of our eye surgeons or call our main office at (812) 284-0660 to schedule an appointment at the location nearest you.
