When you are first diagnosed with cataracts, it is typical for the eye doctor to tell you to wait it out a bit — you don't need surgery quite yet, but you likely will in the future. It can be a relief to know what's going on and that there is a viable treatment, but sometimes this does also make patients wonder when, exactly, they will need to have surgery.
Some patients may need surgery one year after diagnosis, and others won't need surgery for another 10 years. The best strategy is to be mindful of your symptom, how the cataracts are progressing, and how the condition is affecting your life. When you start noticing the following signs, then it's time to start having more serious talks with your eye doctor about surgery.
You're struggling to see even in the daytime and in bright light.
Often the first sign of cataracts is trouble seeing at night. And it can stay this way for a long time — you may be able to see clearly all day, but once the sun falls, things get blurry. When you start noticing that your vision is blurry even in the daytime and when the lights are at their brightest, then you need to pursue surgery. This is not just a quality of life issue; it's a safety issue.
Others have begun to comment on your declining vision.
Sometimes when your vision is declining slowly over time, you don't notice how bad it has really become, but those around you might. If your family members and friends have started to comment on how poor your vision has become or how hard you seem to be struggling, this could mean your vision loss is more profound than you've realized. As a result, you should prepare for surgery.
The appearance of your eyes has begun to bother you.
If your cataracts are now severe enough to make your eyes look opaque, you may be feeling self-conscious about your appearance. You may not like looking in the mirror, and you may not know how to respond when people stare at you or look at your eyes. Cataract surgery will remove the opaque lenses from your eyes and replace them with clear ones, restoring your normal appearance. This is a legitimate reason to decide whether you're ready for cataract surgery.
Cataract surgery is a relatively straightforward procedure with a short and simple recovery. If you're in need of more information, talk to your eye doctor. They can provide additional details regarding cataract surgery.
Share5 February 2021
If your vision isn't as good as it used to be, you need to see an optometrist. I developed an uncontrollable twitch in both eyes. The problem became so bad that it interfered with my sleep at night. I became cranky, irritable and extremely self-conscience about my problem. At times, I couldn't see anything, even if it was close to my face. But after speaking to my regular doctor about my twitchy eyes, they referred me to an optometrist for an eye exam. The optometrist diagnosed me with poor nerve function. If I didn't do something about it, I'd lose my vision. My eye doctor prescribed eyeglasses to help me see better until I underwent surgery to repair the damaged nerves in my eyes. Now, I see just fine. If you want to know more about protecting your vision, keep reading my blog.
