Cataract Awareness

I can see clearly now the rain is gone

I can see all obstacles in my way

Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind

It's gonna be a bright, bright sunshinin' day

By Nurse Diane

Do you think when Johnny Nash wrote the words to this song that he, or someone in his life had cataracts?  A friend of mine recently had his eyes examined, and there was a mention of cataract surgery in his future.  I let him know that the sooner he has it done, the faster he will heal and have a complete recovery.

A cataract is a film that develops slowly over time behind the lens of the eye.  It clouds your vision much like dirty windows cloud images.  They can occur at any time, from childhood to adulthood.  They even occur in animals.   It is not sure what causes cataracts; some culprits include exposure to radiation and ultraviolet lights.  Other factors include a side effect from other diseases such as diabetes, hypertension or iodine deficiency.  Old age, trauma and side effects from medication also account for causes of cataracts.

There is no known prevention for Cataracts.  It has been suggested that regular intake of antioxidants (such as vitamins A, C and E) is helpful, but taking them as a supplement has not been shown to have a benefit.

The treatment for cataracts is a simple surgery done under a local anesthetic and the patient is allowed to return home the same day.  While in nursing school I was allowed to observe cataract surgery.  Fluid is injected into the eye making it soft and squishy.  The lens of the eye is then removed, and the film is lifted out.  The lens is replaced, and the eye covered until healed.  Eye drops are sent home to help to promote healing.

June is Cataract Awareness Month.  If you are over the age of 40, and haven't had your eyes checked recently, now would be a good time to make an appointment to get checked out to make sure you don’t have any problems brewing.

(Photos from Google) 

November is Diabetic Eye Disease Month

(Google Image) 

By Terry Orr

As a Type II Diabetic, seeing my eye doctor at least twice a year is mandatory and just plain common sense. I am a visual person – and my eye sight is extremely important to me and the source of my livelihood for the better part of five decades.

(Google Image) 

Diabetic eye disease is one of the major causes of vision loss in adults. When the sugar levels in the blood are high, it is very stressful on the blood vessels all over the body, putting individuals at high risk for heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease. In the eye, blood vessels can start to leak or bleed in reaction to high blood sugar. This swelling in the retina can decrease vision, so it's best detected and treated early.

According to the National Eye Institute (NEI) of the National Institute of Health (NIH) the following highlights are provided:

(Google Image) 

What is diabetic eye disease?

Diabetic eye disease refers to a group of eye problems that people with diabetes may face as a complication of diabetes. All can cause severe vision loss or even blindness.

Diabetic eye disease may include:

• Diabetic retinopathy—damage to the blood vessels in the retina.
• Cataract—clouding of the eye's lens. Cataracts develop at an earlier age in people with diabetes.
• Glaucoma—increase in fluid pressure inside the eye that leads to optic nerve damage and loss of vision. A person with diabetes is nearly twice as likely to get glaucoma as other adults.

What can I do to protect my vision?

If you have diabetes get a comprehensive dilated eye exam at least once a year and remember:

• Proliferative retinopathy can develop without symptoms. At this advanced stage, you are at high risk for vision loss.
• Macular edema can develop without symptoms at any of the four stages of diabetic retinopathy.
• You can develop both proliferative retinopathy and macular edema and still see fine. However, you are at high risk for vision loss.

Current Research

What research is being done?

The National Eye Institute (NEI) is conducting and supporting research that seeks better ways to detect, treat, and prevent vision loss in people with diabetes. This research is conducted through studies in the laboratory and with patients.

Your eye care professional can tell if you have macular edema or any stage of diabetic retinopathy. Whether or not you have symptoms, early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss.

(Google Image) 

See your eye doctor at least once a year – play it safe!

References and Links:

• http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/diabetic/retinopathy.asp
• http://www.idf.org/fact-sheets/diabetes-eye-disease
• http://www.webmd.com/eye-health/eye-problems
• http://www.medicinenet.com/diabetes_and_eye_problems/article.htm
• http://www.theeyecenter.com/educational/pdfs/Facts%20About%20Diabetic%20Eye%20Disease.pdf
• http://www.emedicinehealth.com/diabetic_eye_disease/page3_em.htm

June is Cataract Awareness Month

I can see clearly now the rain is gone

I can see all obstacles in my way

Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind

It's gonna be a bright, bright sunshinin' day

By Diane Forrest, RN

(Google Image) 

Do you think when Johnny Nash wrote the words to this song that he or someone in his life had cataracts?  My Uncle's mother had cataract surgery last year.  Normally when you have cataract surgery, both eyes are affected.  Two surgeries are required, but are not done together for the purpose of being able to see.  My aunt was elected to transport her to the clinic since my uncle doesn't like to drive in the big city traffic.  The surgeries were a success and her vision was restored.

(Google Image) 

A cataract is a film that develops slowly over time behind the lens of the eye.  It clouds your vision much like dirty windows cloud images.  They can occur at any time, from childhood to adulthood.  They even occur in animals.   It is not sure what causes cataracts; some culprits include exposure to radiation and ultraviolet lights.  Other factors include a side effect from other diseases such as diabetes, hypertension or iodine deficiency.  Old age, trauma and side effects from medication also account for causes of cataracts.

(Google Image) 

There is no known prevention for Cataracts.  It has been suggested that regular intake of antioxidants (such as vitamins A, C and E) is helpful, but taking them as a supplement has not been shown to have a benefit.

(Google Image) 

The treatment for cataracts is a simple surgery done under a local anesthetic and the patient is allowed to return home the same day.  While in nursing school I was allowed to observe cataract surgery.  Fluid is injected into the eye making it soft and squishy.  The lens of the eye is then removed, and the film is lifted out.  The lens is replaced, and the eye covered until healed.  Eye drops are sent home to help to promote healing.

(Google Image) 

June is Cataract Awareness Month.  If you are over the age of 40, and haven't had your eyes checked recently, now would be a good time to make an appointment to get checked out to make sure you don’t have any problems brewing.

Cataract Awareness Month - one of the leading causes of vision loss in the US

In an effort to promote awareness about the world’s leading cause of blindness, Prevent Blindness America (PBA) recently announced that they have officially declared June as Cataract Awareness Month.

This eye disease currently affects more than 22 million Americans over the age of 40, and it is projected that by the year 2020, more than 30.1 million Americans will have cataracts.

PBA also reported that there are more global cases of cataracts than there are glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy combined. In order to further educate people about this serious eye disease, throughout the entire month of June, PBA is encouraging people everywhere to learn about the serious risk factors, symptoms and treatment options of cataracts.

What are cataracts?

A cataract forms when the lens of the eye becomes clouded, blocking or changing the passage of light in the eye. This can cause blurry sight and distort the eye’s vision, especially on bright, sunny days or while driving at night.

The lens is held inside a capsule located just behind the pupil and the colored iris. It is made up of protein fibers and water molecules that are arranged exactly to allow light to pass through without interference. Cataracts occur when these fibers begin to split over time, clustering together and clouding the lens. As fibers continue to break down, the clouding becomes more and more dense and covers a larger part of the lens.

How common are cataracts?

Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness among older adults in the United States. By age 65, about half of the population has cataracts, with nearly everyone over the age of 75 having at least one. They begin to form between the ages of 40 and 60, but they usually don’t have an impact on vision when they first form.

In rare cases, infants can also suffer from congenital cataracts. This can occur with the mother has German measles, chickenpox, or another infectious disease during pregnancy, however it’s rare.

Berkely/Jove. 

This is the most frustrating part about cataracts―there’s no real definite cause. In most cases, cataracts are simply a part of the aging process. As you get older, your chances of developing cataracts increases.

However, while there are no exact cause of cataracts, there are several risk factors:

A family history of cataracts

Certain diseases, such as diabetes

Long-term steroid use

Long-term exposure to UV rays and excessive sunlight

Smoking

Unhealthy eating habits

Eye injuries or diseases

What can I do to prevent cataracts from forming?

Because there is no definite cause, there is currently no way to prevent age-related cataracts. The best chance a person has for preventing cataracts is to avoid the risk factors mentioned above.

Women should check with their doctors and obstetricians regularly about how they can prevent infection-related congenital cataracts. People with a family history of diabetes, or people who have been diagnosed themselves, can help to decrease their risk of developing cataracts by keeping a strict eye on their blood sugar levels and controlling what they eat.

Now that you know more about cataracts and the risk factors associated with them, tune in later this week for information about common symptoms, different treatment options and everything you need to know about cataract surgery.