August is Cataract Awareness Month, and to mark the occasion the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) recently issued the following tips to help consumers maintain healthy vision and make the right choices when cataracts develop:
When cataracts interfere with daily activities, it's time to consider surgery.
- Have an eye exam if you are over age 40. Advancing age is a risk factor for cataracts and other eye problems. Based on the findings of your exam, your eye doctor will advise you how often you should have your eyes examined in the future.
- Know the risk factors for cataracts. In addition to advancing age, risk factors for cataracts include smoking, extensive exposure to the sun’s harmful UV rays, a history of a serious eye injury or inflammation, having diabetes, prolonged used of steroid medications and a family history of cataracts.
- Know how to reduce your cataract risk. A healthy diet, exercise, maintaining control of your blood sugar if you have diabetes, avoiding smoking and protecting your eyes from the sun’s harmful rays with UV-blocking sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat may help reduce your risk of cataracts.
- Evaluate how cataracts affect your life. If you have cataracts, the decision when to have cataract surgery should be based on your daily activities and how much interference your cataracts are causing. If you are noticing blurred vision, glare, halos, reduced color perception or other cataract-related problems when driving or performing other daily activities, it’s time to consider surgery.
The AAO offers additional information about cataracts and cataract surgery at its EyeSmart consumer website.