Post by Your Home Companion on Feb 3, 2015 16:07:57 GMT
What are Cataracts?
Your Home Companion interviewed Easton Eye Care's Dr. Alex Carpenter to learn the whats and whys of Glaucoma. Your Home Companion contacted Dr. Alex Carpenter from Easton Eye Care and he very graciously offered to do two more interviews with us. Today's interview is on Cataracts and "What Exactly are They?"
In case you missed it, Dr. Alex Carpenter's first interview with us was on Age Related Macular Degeneration. Dr. Carpenter is the newest optometrist on staff at Easton Eye Care with a Bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences at the University of Maryland at College Park and a doctorate at Pennsylvania College of Optometry. Easton Eye Care offers full eyewear and optical services and has been serving the Eastern Shore area for over 35 years.
Below is the list of interview questions that we asked, along with his responding answers to everything you ever wanted to know about Cataracts, or at least the important points.
YHC:What are cataracts?
Easton Eye Care: Cataracts are cloudy formations within the lens of the eye. The lens is located within the eye and is responsible for focusing light on the retina to provide clear vision. The lens is composed of water and very neatly arranged collagen fibers. With time, these collagen fibers can lose their regular arrangement and form cloudy spots within the lens. These cloudy spots stop light from clearly reaching the retina of the eye. A good analogy is to think of smudges on an otherwise clear windowpane.
YHC: What causes cataracts?
Easton Eye Care: Cataracts are most commonly the result of aging. While the age that we get cataracts is different for everyone, we will all get them if we live long enough. There are other risk factors that can cause them to develop sooner however. These include UV exposure, smoking, and diabetes. Also, cataracts can sometimes be related to trauma, glaucoma, or can be congenital.
YHC: What are the signs/symptoms of cataracts
Easton Eye Care: Symptoms include blur, glare (particularly with bright lights such as oncoming headlights), colors seem faded, poor night vision, and even frequent changes in eyeglass prescription. These symptoms vary greatly depending on the type and location of the cataracts. Some cataracts affect central vision very early, whereas others affect central vision only later in their development.
YHC: How are cataracts detected?
Easton Eye Care: Cataracts are detected through routine eye examination. The eye doctor will thoroughly evaluate current level of vision, determine any change in eyeglass prescription (which can reflect cataract formation), and then will directly observe the clarity of the lens under the biomicroscope. The lens can be viewed without dilation, although dilation may be necessary to fully evaluate the severity of the cataract.
YHC: What treatment options are available?
Easton Eye Care: Symptoms often can be managed with a change in eyeglass prescription, brighter lighting, good sunglasses, and magnifying lenses. If vision declines to the point that quality of life is affected and cannot be managed with the above options, surgery is warranted. Surgical cataract removal is one of the safest and most common outpatient procedures performed today. It involves a very small incision to remove the cloudy lens, and a clear artificial lens implant is put in its place. This usually improves vision significantly, and oftentimes glasses are only needed for reading afterwards. As with all surgery, there are some minor risks, which your eye doctor will discuss with you prior to surgery.
YHC: How can cataracts be prevented?
Easton Eye Care: The primary method of delaying cataract progression is good UV protection, especially when in sunny conditions. One can also delay cataracts by improving overall health with a healthy diet rich in antioxidants (leafy greens), plenty of exercise, and by quitting smoking.
YHC: Why are older people more susceptible to cataracts?
Easton Eye Care: Older people are more susceptible to cataracts because as we age the body accumulates damage from all of the factors mentioned above. There is also an increase in metabolic debris within the body’s cells. As these factors accumulate and compound, it is increasingly difficult for the lens of the eye to maintain it’s regular arrangement of collagen fibers.
Be on the lookout for our next interview with Dr. Carpenter on Glaucoma. Also, feel free to follow Dr. Carpenter on Tumblr at alexcarpenter-od.tumblr.com/
Your Home Companion interviewed Easton Eye Care's Dr. Alex Carpenter to learn the whats and whys of Glaucoma. Your Home Companion contacted Dr. Alex Carpenter from Easton Eye Care and he very graciously offered to do two more interviews with us. Today's interview is on Cataracts and "What Exactly are They?"
In case you missed it, Dr. Alex Carpenter's first interview with us was on Age Related Macular Degeneration. Dr. Carpenter is the newest optometrist on staff at Easton Eye Care with a Bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences at the University of Maryland at College Park and a doctorate at Pennsylvania College of Optometry. Easton Eye Care offers full eyewear and optical services and has been serving the Eastern Shore area for over 35 years.
Below is the list of interview questions that we asked, along with his responding answers to everything you ever wanted to know about Cataracts, or at least the important points.
YHC:What are cataracts?
Easton Eye Care: Cataracts are cloudy formations within the lens of the eye. The lens is located within the eye and is responsible for focusing light on the retina to provide clear vision. The lens is composed of water and very neatly arranged collagen fibers. With time, these collagen fibers can lose their regular arrangement and form cloudy spots within the lens. These cloudy spots stop light from clearly reaching the retina of the eye. A good analogy is to think of smudges on an otherwise clear windowpane.
YHC: What causes cataracts?
Easton Eye Care: Cataracts are most commonly the result of aging. While the age that we get cataracts is different for everyone, we will all get them if we live long enough. There are other risk factors that can cause them to develop sooner however. These include UV exposure, smoking, and diabetes. Also, cataracts can sometimes be related to trauma, glaucoma, or can be congenital.
YHC: What are the signs/symptoms of cataracts
Easton Eye Care: Symptoms include blur, glare (particularly with bright lights such as oncoming headlights), colors seem faded, poor night vision, and even frequent changes in eyeglass prescription. These symptoms vary greatly depending on the type and location of the cataracts. Some cataracts affect central vision very early, whereas others affect central vision only later in their development.
YHC: How are cataracts detected?
Easton Eye Care: Cataracts are detected through routine eye examination. The eye doctor will thoroughly evaluate current level of vision, determine any change in eyeglass prescription (which can reflect cataract formation), and then will directly observe the clarity of the lens under the biomicroscope. The lens can be viewed without dilation, although dilation may be necessary to fully evaluate the severity of the cataract.
YHC: What treatment options are available?
Easton Eye Care: Symptoms often can be managed with a change in eyeglass prescription, brighter lighting, good sunglasses, and magnifying lenses. If vision declines to the point that quality of life is affected and cannot be managed with the above options, surgery is warranted. Surgical cataract removal is one of the safest and most common outpatient procedures performed today. It involves a very small incision to remove the cloudy lens, and a clear artificial lens implant is put in its place. This usually improves vision significantly, and oftentimes glasses are only needed for reading afterwards. As with all surgery, there are some minor risks, which your eye doctor will discuss with you prior to surgery.
YHC: How can cataracts be prevented?
Easton Eye Care: The primary method of delaying cataract progression is good UV protection, especially when in sunny conditions. One can also delay cataracts by improving overall health with a healthy diet rich in antioxidants (leafy greens), plenty of exercise, and by quitting smoking.
YHC: Why are older people more susceptible to cataracts?
Easton Eye Care: Older people are more susceptible to cataracts because as we age the body accumulates damage from all of the factors mentioned above. There is also an increase in metabolic debris within the body’s cells. As these factors accumulate and compound, it is increasingly difficult for the lens of the eye to maintain it’s regular arrangement of collagen fibers.
Be on the lookout for our next interview with Dr. Carpenter on Glaucoma. Also, feel free to follow Dr. Carpenter on Tumblr at alexcarpenter-od.tumblr.com/