What is a cataract? A cataract is the clouding of the eye’s natural lens. It is the main cause of blindness in the world and is also the most common cause of vision loss in people over 40 years of age. If you have a cataract, you would experience clouded vision, which can make it more difficult to drive a car, read a book or carry out most daily activities. It’s a bit like looking through a frosted or fogged up window.
If you notice any sudden vision changes, such as double vision or flashes of light, sudden eye pain, or sudden headache, make an appointment with your optometrist or eye doctor for an eye examination as soon as possible.
Besides ageing, here are some of the risk factors:
- Ultraviolet radiation
- Family History
- Diabetes
- Hypertension
- Obesity
- Smoking
5 tips that can help to prevent cataracts
- Have regular eye examinations. Eye examinations can help detect cataracts and other eye problems at their earliest stages. Ask your doctor how often you should have an eye examination.
- Quit smoking. Ask your doctor for suggestions about how to stop smoking. Medications, counseling and other strategies are available to help you.
- Manage other health problems. Follow your treatment plan if you have diabetes or other medical conditions that can increase your risk of cataracts.
- Choose a healthy diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables. Adding a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables to your diet ensures that you’re getting many vitamins and nutrients. Fruits and vegetables have many antioxidants, which help maintain the health of your eyes.
- Wear sunglasses. Ultraviolet light from the sun may contribute to the development of cataracts. Wear sunglasses that block ultraviolet B (UVB) rays when you’re outdoors.
Source: https://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/cataracts.htm