June is Cataract Awareness Month: Protect Your Sight

👁️ Prevent Blindness America has declared June as Cataract Awareness Month. Cataracts are the leading cause of vision loss in the U.S. and the leading cause of blindness worldwide.Over 24 million Americans over age 40 are affected, making awareness and education essential.

❓ What is a Cataract?

A cataract is a clouding of the eye’s lens, blocking or altering how light enters the eye. The lens, located behind the pupil and iris, focuses images onto the retina to send to the brain. With a cataract, vision may become blurry or dim, as light cannot pass properly to the retina.

🚨 Signs You May Have a Cataract:

• 👓 Blurred vision, double vision, ghosting, or the feeling of a film over the eyes

• 💡 Sensitivity to light or needing brighter light for reading

• 🔄 Frequently changing eyeglass prescriptions

• 👁️ A visible milky or yellowish spot in the pupil

⚠️ Are You at Risk?

While the exact cause is unknown, aging is the most common factor.Many people in their 40s or 50s may have early cataracts, but symptoms often appear after age 60.

Other risk factors include:

• 🌞 Long-term UV exposure

• 🧬 Family history

• 🧫 Diabetes and inflammation

• 💊 Long-term steroid use

• 🚬 Smoking

• 👶 Prenatal infections (e.g., German measles)

• 👁️ Eye injuries or diseases

🛡️ Prevention Tips

While you can't prevent all cataracts, a healthy lifestyle can slow their progression:

• 🚭 Don’t smoke

• 🕶️ Wear sunglasses to block UV rays

• 🥗 Eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables

• 🛡️ Protect your eyes from injury

🏥 Treatment Options

✅ The good news? Cataracts are treatable.

Cataract surgery is one of the safest and most effective procedures, with a 95% success rate.

🦾 The surgeon removes the cloudy lens and replaces it with an artificial intraocular lens (IOL).

⏱️ The procedure typically takes 20 minutes, and most people resume normal activities shortly after.

Over 3 million Americans undergo this surgery each year—restoring clarity and quality of life.