Cataracts and quality of life

Without cataract surgery, as your vision declines, you're likely to reduce your day-to-day activities - you'll go fewer places, see fewer people and do less and less. These changes can impact your health by restricting your activities and decreasing your ability to enjoy life. Cataract surgery may help prevent these changes.

If your cataracts are making it difficult for you to participate in normal activities such as reading, working, driving and other things that are important to you - then it may be time for you and your doctor to discuss your cataract surgery options.

Cataract surgery has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety and decrease risks of falling and getting into car accidents. Successful cataract surgery can also make it easier to read, increase social activity and improve overall quality of life. And that's just with standard replacement lenses.

Symptoms include:

• Blurred vision - Blurriness is one of the earliest and most common signs of cataracts. Changing your prescription
  may help, but it can't correct the problem permanently.
• Faded or dull colors - Colors appear less vivid than they once were. Certain shades can become more difficult to differentiate from one another.

• Poor night vision - At first, you may simply need more light to read. Over time, you may find it more difficult to see objects in the dark, particularly when driving.
• Sensitivity to light - Lights may seem uncomfortably bright, or appear to have halos around them.

Left untreated, cataracts have the potential to cause a complete loss of vision. Thankfully, treating cataracts now involves a safe, relatively simple surgery - an amazing procedure that can literally change the way you see the world.