A cataract is a clouding of your eye’s natural lens, which often occurs due to a breakdown of proteins, impacting the lens’s ability to focus light rays onto the retina. It can occur in one or both eyes, typically with age, creating vision difficulties. According to the National Eye Institute, more than half of all people 80 or older either have cataracts or have had surgical vision correction. It is also one of the leading causes of blindness. Laser eye surgery is the optimal choice for restoring clear vision to the affected eye.
Symptoms of Cataracts
Common symptoms that warrant a call to your ophthalmologist include:
- Blurry vision
- Double vision
- Light sensitivity
- Poor night vision
- Faded or yellowish colors
- Halos around bright lights
- Frequent changes in eyeglass prescriptions
The Risk Factors of Cataracts
The main risk factor that influences whether you develop a cataract is age. You may also be at risk if you have been diagnosed or have a family history of hypertension, glaucoma, or diabetes. Additional risk factors include eye trauma, radiation treatments, sun exposure, specific lifestyle habits, and particular medication use. Cataracts are also believed to be influenced by genetics.
Here are some ways to protect your vision.
- Schedule annual dilated eye exams
- Wear 100% UV blocking sunglasses
- Create and maintain healthy lifestyle habits
Laser Eye Surgery to Treat Cataracts
When cataracts impact your daily activities, you may want to consider laser eye surgery, a standard outpatient option for surgical vision correction. The Eye Physicians of North Houston strive to offer the best technology for our patients. The LenSX® Laser System is a bladeless procedure assisted by innovative laser technology called a femtosecond laser.
The system combines a laser patient interface with an Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) image-guidance system to create a precise incision in the lens and cornea. Once the lens is removed, it is replaced by an artificial intraocular lens, commonly referred to as simply an IOL. The LenSX® system allows a board-certified ophthalmologist to achieve a customized, safe, and consistent visual outcome for you.
Using only the most advanced technologies and techniques, the board-certified ophthalmologists at Eye Physicians of North Houston provide patients with compassionate, comprehensive eye care.
Our ophthalmology practice accepts patients in Houston and the neighboring communities of Texas. We are open Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm and closed on Saturdays and Sundays.
Whether you need an annual comprehensive eye exam, are experiencing signs of cataracts, or require laser eye surgery, we invite you to schedule an appointment with one of the Eye Physicians of North Houston’s ophthalmologists at (281) 893-1760.
Resources:
“Cataracts.” National Eye Institute.
“Causes of Cataracts.” National Eye Institute.
“What Are Cataracts?” The American Academy of Ophthalmology.