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Is It Cataracts or Something Else?
Posted by: Georgia Eye Associates in Cataracts
It’s true that cataracts primarily affect the older generation. It’s also true that almost everyone will develop them at some point due to aging.
But cataracts are not the only thing you’ll face as you age. The risk of developing other potential vision issues only increases. Keep reading to learn if it could be cataracts or something else!
Cataract Symptoms
Cataracts can cause several different symptoms depending on how they grow inside your eye. Cataracts are clumps of protein inside the lenses of your eyes.
When they gain enough mass, light becomes blocked and distorted. This negatively impacts your ability to see. You may experience one or more of the following:
Blurry vision
This is the most self-explanatory. As cataracts grow, they stop more and more light from entering the eye.
This directly results in vision loss. This is particularly noticeable in low light situations.
Light sensitivity
Certain cataracts can cause the light that does manage to enter the eye to scatter. This makes it bounce around inside of the eye. It can be quite painful.
Frequent prescription changes
If you find that you need new glasses or contact lens prescriptions, the culprit could be cataracts. This will only get worse as they continue to develop.
Yellowing
Cataracts themselves are yellow-brown. This hue can bleed over into the light that manages to get through them.
As a result, it may cause everything around to appear off-yellow and reducing contrast.
Double vision
In some cases, diffraction from the cloudy lens can cause more than one image to form. You may notice you see double in one eye because of this.
Eye Problems with Similar Symptoms
The only way to know for sure why your eyesight is declining is to seek professional help. You can sign up for an appointment at Georgia Eye Associates.
One of our eye doctors can help determine if you have cataracts, one of the following conditions, or something else.
Glaucoma
Like cataracts, glaucoma usually affects older people and causes vision to get worse over time. But glaucoma is actually much worse.
There are no other symptoms (except in rare cases of a specific severe form of glaucoma. The damage from glaucoma is permanent, and it requires continuous management with medication. There is no cure for glaucoma and if left untreated, it will result in permanent blindness.
Diabetic Retinopathy
Uncontrolled high blood sugar can wreak havoc on your body, including your eyes. If you’re a diabetic, you’re already more likely to develop diabetic retinopathy.
The same is true of cataracts and other eye conditions. Like cataracts, diabetic retinopathy can also affect the way you see color as well as your vision.
Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
Age-related macular degeneration, or AMD, also causes vision loss. It’s more likely to occur for those that are older.
But with AMD, vision loss occurs in the center of the retina. This results in vision loss that’s in the center of your eyesight.
Presbyopia
If your vision is getting worse the older you get, check to see if you are becoming more nearsighted. This is a good indicator that you are developing presbyopia.
This condition occurs when your lenses lose their flexibility. With presbyopia, it becomes much harder to focus on things that are up-close.
This may make it more difficult to do things like read, use a smartphone, or read a menu at a restaurant.
Still not sure if you have cataracts or another eye condition? Schedule an appointment at Georgia Eye Associates in Atlanta, GA to find out what’s going on with your eyes!
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