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PIKEVILLE — More than 24 million Americans age 40 and over have been diagnosed with cataract. It is currently the leading cause of blindness in both men and women. Prevent Blindness America has declared June as Cataract Awareness Month.
A cataract is any type of cloudiness or discoloration of the lens inside the eye that affects vision. Unlike many eye diseases, however, vision loss due to cataract can be restored. Cataract surgery is one of the most successful and commonly performed procedures in the United States.
Pikeville Medical Center (PMC) Ophthalmologist Dr. Keith Ison said, “Cataract surgery is a painless, outpatient surgery that generally takes about 10-15 minutes to perform, and with minimal sedation.
One can be discharged shortly afterwards and regular activity can be resumed in a few days.
Most patients notice an improvement in their vision by the next day
Cataract generally does not cause pain, redness or tears. However, these changes in your vision may be signs of cataract:
•Blurred vision, double vision, ghost images, the sense of a “film” over the eyes
•Lights seem too dim for reading or close-up work, or you are “dazzled” by strong light
•Changing eyeglass prescriptions often. The change may not seem to help your vision.
•You may sometimes notice the cataract in your eye. It may look like a milky or yellowish spot in the pupil (the center of your eye is normally black).
In order to help prevent or slow the progression of cataract, an annual eye exam is recommended. Patients are also urged to quit smoking, reduce alcohol use, wear sunglasses, maintain a healthy weight and eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.
For more information, call 606-218-3500. To schedule a physician appointment, call 606-218-1000.
Source: www.mayoclinic.org
www.preventblindness.org