Cataracts are one of the most common issues faced by elderly people. They will encounter various symptoms, from the very subtle to blindness. It is not proven that cataracts will cause pain but it has the potential to cause sensitivity. Further, read this blog to spot if there is any hidden link between cataracts and eye irritation. 

What Is Cataract? 

A cataract is one of the eye problems that will develop very slowly, in this condition, the natural crystalline lens will be clouded, making a misty vision. Simply, this cloudy lens will affect every one of us as we get older. The issue begins when some of us may be prone to face this issue earlier than others. 

When left untreated, these cataracts have the potential to affect the clarity of your vision, cause eye irritation pain, and even, in advanced cases, may result in vision loss. Fortunately, there are treatment options available for cataracts, and this problem can be dealt with effectively with safe and simple procedures. 

What Are The Causes Of Cataracts? 

When we grow older, some factors will potentially pave the way for developing cataracts, further let’s see some other factors that cause cataracts: 

• They slowly develop over age, so cataracts are mostly seen in older people. 
• If any of your family members suffer from cataracts, there is a high chance that you will develop this condition.
• Steroid use 
• Ocular swelling 
• Trauma 
• Diabetes 
• Smoking
• Bringe consuming alcohol 

What Are The Symptoms Of Cataracts? 

Your lens should be clear for the proper functioning of your eyes, so a cloudy lens will badly affect your vision, and cause severe eye irritation and pain. In a normal eye, the proper lens will allow the light to extend to the retina at the back of the eye, further, it communicates with the brain through the optic nerve, that’s how we see objects. Whereas, in cases of cataracts, less light will reach the retina, so your vision will be disturbed. 

This issue may gradually develop as the days pass, and at some point, loss of vision will happen. Frequently, people complain about:

• Cloudy lens and mistiness 
• Losing the vibrancy of colors 
• Increased light scatter leads to dazzling “glare” when the eye is exposed to bright light 
• Double vision 
• Modification to a glasses prescription 

You will not experience any kind of pain due to the cataract but you are advised to visit the hospital whenever you start experiencing any of the above-mentioned early signs of cataracts. 

How To Prevent Cataracts? 

There are treatment options available but it is common to experience them after age 50. The causes and prevention have an interconnection, and there are a few things that you can do to reduce your chances of developing this condition, some of them include:

• Quit smoking 
• Cover your eyes with coolers to protect them from sunlight 
• Moderate your alcohol drinking level 
• Maintain a healthy diet to control diabetes 
• Often do meditation and simple exercises 
• Do frequent screenings to avoid vision loss 

How Is Your Vision Affected By Cataracts? 

At some point, clouding can occur in your lens due to environmental and lifestyle changes. We call this oxidative stress. This cloudy lens may be caused by clumps of proteins, which will be formed gradually, preventing light from passing through the lens. 

Those broken-down proteins accumulated in the eye will start to speed up later 40s. That’s the reason why cataracts disturb elderly people. Even at the age of 80, most people will be experiencing some level of cataracts and facing things like improper vision, faded colors, bright light sensitivity, bad night vision, and double vision, this is the time when you should visit the doctor. 

Will I Go Blind From Cataracts? 

When a group of broken proteins accumulates in your eyes, it can grow larger and develop more vision-related issues. In the initial stages, you may not recognize that you are developing cataracts. Age-related cataracts will form slowly, so you may not consider much of your vision changes. When these conditions begin to worsen, or specific areas of vision loss become more noticeable, this is the time when the best eye doctor in Coimbatore will diagnose cataracts. Thus, age-related cataracts are prevalent, and typically it will take at least a decade to cause blindness, but other cataract types may tend to cause vision loss earlier. 

Can Cataracts Cause Sudden Blindness? 

One type of cataract, known as traumatic cataract, has the potential to develop cataracts more quickly. One-fifth of adults will be disturbed by this type of cataract during their lifetime. Eye injuries when blunt, penetrating trauma that damages lens fibers can result in this type of cataract. 

• Radiation: Right from the sunlight to medical treatments, everything can affect your eyes and lead to cataracts. Traumatic cataracts will lead to quick blindness when compared with age-related cataracts, but at the same time, they require more time to develop traumatic cataracts. 
• Pediatric Cataracts: This is another type of cataracts. They are congenital or formed within the first few weeks of life. This type of cataract will be caused by genetic factors. If this condition is quite large during the birth, the doctor will operate and remove it as soon as possible to prevent ongoing vision-related issues or blindness, to prevent all this just visit the best eye care hospital in Coimbatore. 

Final Takeaway: 

As we mentioned above, typically cataracts will develop over age, but rarely they may arise at a young age. When left untreated, the large cataracts can lead to vision loss by blocking the flow of light into your eye. When diagnosed, doctors will observe them for a while, and they will suggest removing those cataracts when become large enough to affect your daily activities. There are some medical treatments available to help you with cataracts, the treatments include cataract removal and lens replacement, which are caused by large cataracts. Simply discuss your problem with your doctor and find what’s best for you and your vision.