Katy Cataract Specialist

Looking for a cataract specialist near Katy, Texas? Austin County has many eye care clinics that may be able to help you deal with cataracts, or tell you if you're at risk for them.

Austin County has some excellent eye care clinics just a short drive from Katy. Looks for one staffed with optometry and ophthalmology specialists well-qualified to solve your cataract and other eye problems.

 

Cataracts are a common eye disorder, even appearing in the young child. They are responsible for approximately half of the world’s blindness.

 

People at high risk for cataracts include:

• diabetics,
• those prescribed high doses of corticosteroids,
• the elderly.

 

Exposure to ultra-violet and other types of radiation is thought to play a role, as are genes, and any previous eye damage. Cataracts are most commonly an age-related disorder. In fact, over half of all Americans have had a cataract by age eighty. The lens, the clear part of the eye which focuses light upon the retina, changes in structure as cataracts form.

 

The lens is made up of protein fibers and water, arranged in such a way that the lens is transparent. However, as we age, the protein fibers can begin to clump together, creating an opaque area on the lens. The effect of this is the slow clouding of one’s vision.

 

Symptoms can include:

• relatively rapid change in visual acuity, as evidenced by a regular need for new glasses prescriptions;
• difficulty seeing at night or in low-light situations;
• trouble with glare;
• decrease in color vision, especially in shades of blue;
• and a blurring or clouding of vision.

 

The specific symptoms that you experience may be dependent upon the type of cataract that you have. There is even a type of cataract that may temporarily improve your near-sighted vision before your vision begins to worsen.

 

Cataracts can’t spread from one eye to the other, and they don’t normally cause pain, although there may be a sensitivity to light. If the cataract is not in the center of your field of vision, you may not even know that it’s there. Many people don’t start to have symptoms for years after their cataract first develops.

 

When a cataract first appears, it may be possible to treat its symptoms with a new glasses prescription. However, eventually, as vision decreases, surgery will be necessary to replace the lens of the eye. Cataract surgery is normally very successful and without complications. If a patient has cataracts in both eyes, which is a common occurrence, surgery is only done on one eye at a time. It is normally an out-patient procedure, which means the patient can go home that day.

 

The best way to prevent or delay cataracts is to live a healthy lifestyle. Protect your eyes from the sun. Don’t smoke, eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, and stay active. As you age, it is important to get regular vision check-ups with a specialist. Remember that cataracts may not be noticeable when they first appear.

If you show any signs of cataracts, it is important to be evaluated right away. Your specialist is here to help.