A cataract is the clouding of a person’s natural lens which results in decreased vision. Cataracts are sometimes thought of as an effect of growing older.
While there is no known definitive cause of cataracts, other factors that seem to increase your risk of developing cataracts include a family history of the condition; diabetes; previous eye injuries; and smoking.
Although there is no true medical preventative care for this eye condition, Houston cataract surgeons recommend understanding how what we eat and drink, as well as the amounts of vitamins and minerals we are metabolizing, may help reduce the risk of developing them.
Does Good Health Prevent Cataracts?
Avoiding smoking, drugs and alcohol may reduce your risk of needing Houston cataract surgery. Taking herbal supplements and multivitamins might serve to lower your risk of cataract development.
Antioxidants And Vitamins
The exact cause of cataracts is unknown, yet some experts theorize that oxidative stress damages enzymes and proteins in the eye’s natural lens. This stress causes the lens to become cloudy. Several studies have shown that eating a healthy diet rich in certain vitamins and antioxidants may reduce your risk of developing cataracts.
Oxidation affects proteins and fats in the eye’s lens. The lens becomes damaged creating a cloud-like cataract. Preventing damage from free radicals with healthy foods containing antioxidants may help slow down this process.
Free radicals that damage our eyes may also occur as a result of exposure to pollution, chemicals, ultraviolet radiation and smoking.
Diet And Cataracts
Consistently following a healthy diet that includes colorful vegetables, fruits and whole grains may correlate to a decreased risk of cataracts. Good food sources to prevent cataracts are vitamins A, C and E, as well as lutein and zeaxanthin.
Consuming fish high in omega-3 fatty acids also has been linked to potentially reducing the risk of cataracts or cataract progression.
Treating Cataracts
If your vision is becoming cloudy, or if you are losing your color perception or even having trouble seeing at night, you may be already in the early stages of developing cataracts. The majority of men and women will develop them if they live long enough. A cataract surgeon is the ideal person to diagnose this condition.
Currently, there are no treatments to reverse or prevent cataracts from developing, but cataract surgery can help you achieve clear vision. This treatment is one of the most common and successful medical procedures performed today.
Sometimes, though, a person who thinks they are suffering from cataracts may just be experiencing the worsening of pre-existing vision problems like nearsightedness or farsightedness. In this case, LASIK may be an answer to your visual concerns.
If you think you might be suffering from this condition, contact the experienced cataract surgeons at Berkeley Eye Center today to find out if you are a candidate for cataract surgery or even LASIK!