Posts Tagged ‘Cataracts’

To recognize Cataract Awareness Month in August, John Hahn, M.D. of DuPage Ophthalmologists, will present an informational seminar on cataracts at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 31, at The Birches Assisted Living, 215 55th St., Clarendon Hills. The seminar is free and open to the public.

Nearly 20.5 million Americans age 40 and older have cataracts, one of the most curable causes of vision loss.

A cataract is the clouding of the eye’s normally clear lens, blocking the passage of light needed for vision. They form slowly and cause no pain. Some stay small and hardly affect vision, but if the cataract does grow and begin to affect vision, it can usually be removed with surgery.

Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness worldwide; however, in most cases, vision loss from cataracts is reversible. New techniques developed over the past decade have made cataract surgery one of the safest and most successful procedures available in terms of restoring quality of life to patients.

Each year more than 1.6 million of these delicate eye surgeries are performed in the United States.

There are no drugs or exercises that will make a cataract disappear, and contrary to popular belief, cataracts are not removed using lasers. Lasers are used in follow-up procedures, if needed. Cataract surgery is most often done as an outpatient procedure under local anesthesia. The cloudy natural lens can be replaced with an artificial lens to give the eye proper focusing power. In most cases, the improvement in the patient’s vision is profound.

Some people notice a gradual painless blurring of vision, double vision in one eye or fading or yellowing of colors. When older adults mention sensitivity to glare and/or bright light or trouble driving at night, this may be caused by cataracts. Or, if someone needs frequent changes to his or her glasses or contact lens prescriptions, they should be evaluated for cataracts.

Dr. Hahn wants to dispel the notion that a cataract has to be “ripe” before it’s removed. The best time to have a cataract removed is when it starts to interfere with the things someone likes to do.

Cataract surgery, although quite safe, is still surgery. If cataracts don’t affect quality of life, someone may feel that surgery is not needed. The only person who can really decide when it’s time to have them removed is the patient.

Eye health care is provided by the three “O’s” – opticians, optometrists and ophthalmologists. It is the ophthalmologist, or eye MD who can treat it all – eye diseases and injuries, and perform eye surgery.

The Birches Assisted Living is dedicated to providing caring and professional assisted living services that assure its residents safety, security and comfort. Located in Clarendon Hills, The Birches offers a full calendar of programs and activities designed to promote a stimulating and rewarding retirement lifestyle.

Again, Dr. Hahn’s seminar is free and open to the public. Space is limited, so reservations are requested. Call Carol Weigel at 630-789-1135 or visit: http://www.birches.net