
June is cataract awareness month. Cataracts are the world’s leading cause of blindness and are also a treatable eye disease that can be corrected successfully through surgery and proper post-operative care.
Nostalgic Eye Care is here to educate our community and make sure that we have the correct knowledge to protect and preserve our most important sense and gift of sight.
What are cataracts?
A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye. When the lens turns cloudy, light cannot pass through the eye properly to land onto the retina to project an image. This results in blurry or dimmed vision. Cataracts often come with aging; we like to say that they are just like getting gray hairs as you age.

What are symptoms of cataracts?
● Cloudy/hazy vision
● Glare /trouble seeing at night
● Faded colors
● Seeing “Halos” around lights
● Double vision

How are cataracts diagnosed?
Your optometrist can diagnose cataracts during your eye exam. They will use a slit lamp to look behind your eye and examine the lens in your eye. If they find a cataract and believe it is impacting your vision, they can advise you on what steps you should take.
What are the risk factors for cataracts?
● Older age (over 60)
● Smoking
● Excessive exposure to the sun (UV)
● Family history
● Systemic conditions
(diabetes, hypertension)
What are the treatment options for cataracts?
Once a cataract is seriously impacting one’s vision the only treatment is cataract surgery. During this surgery the natural lens is replaced with an artificial lens that does not ever turn cloudy.

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