August is Cataract Awareness Month. This is a good time for any aging adults in your life to have their eyes checked if they haven’t done so recently. Statistics from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) show that more than 50 percent of all Americans have cataracts or have had cataract surgery by the time they reach their 80th birthday. This medical condition affects one or both eyes, causing blurred vision and, in some cases, discoloration. There are several different types of cataracts, but most are related to aging. When undetected and untreated, cataracts can make it very difficult to see. Whether you have an aging parent who has in-home assistance or is still on their own, this can be a concern for their safety and happiness.
The symptoms of cataracts are blurred vision, trouble reading fine print, halos around lights, glares, difficulty seeing at night and frequent eyeglass prescription changes. Another symptom, but one which may go away over time, is double vision or seeing more than one image in one eye.
Cataracts are discovered and diagnosed through an eye exam. During a cataract exam, the eyes are dilated with drops. An eye doctor or similarly trained healthcare professional looks into the eye with a magnifying lens for any issues. Cataracts are often reversible with laser surgery.
The NIH recommends that people over the age of 60 have a comprehensive dilated eye exam every other year to check for cataracts and other eye health issues such as glaucoma and macular degeneration. As of the 2010 Census, more than 20 million people each year were diagnosed with cataracts. According to the NIH, that number is projected to reach nearly 50 million by the year 2050.