New Delhi: It is normal for most individuals to take for granted the gift of vision until it declines. The world becomes less colourful with shades, shapes, and faces becoming blurry and unrecognisable, and reading, driving, or watching TV becomes more difficult than enjoyable. Even if cataracts are not painful, they can place functional restrictions and decrease the quality and comfort of everyday activities.
Dr Roopasree BV, Senior Consultant – Cornea, Sankara Eye Hospital, Shimoga, shared some simple pro tips to live with cataracts.
At the onset, cataracts are hard to notice. Initially, the need for more light for reading and the regular use of bright flashlights became irritating. The vision becomes increasingly diffused and foggy, and the perception of details is impossible. This loss of clear vision can become frustrating as cataracts tend to develop slowly.
Daily activities become more difficult. Reading a book or newspaper takes longer, even with stronger glasses. It is hard to cook, and it is hard to read what is written on the package or read small print. Driving, especially at night, becomes an issue due to glare or halos around lights, and it is common for some to desist from driving at night for safety. These changes may create feelings of lost independence.
Cataracts also impact one’s social life. Activities, like gardening, sewing, and painting, that require fine detail vision become difficult. People get frustrated as they are unable to participate in these activities. Social interactions are also affected because cataracts can render a person unable to identify a face, hold a gaze, or read the expression of a person. Squinting or needing to adapt to light can make conversation tiresome.
The good news is that cataracts are reversible. The cloudy lens is taken out surgically, and a new, clear lens is implanted in its place. It is a routine, safe procedure that can restore vision entirely. The world is incredibly bright and clear following surgery. Colours become rich, details come into sharp focus, and everyday activities become a breeze.
A number of helpful things can be done by patients before surgery to adjust to daily living and protect their eyes. Ensure your glasses or contact lenses are correct to offer optimal vision. Read with additional light and magnification lenses or electronic readers, where the text can be enlarged for comfort. Sunglasses will reduce pain from bright light and glare in the daytime. Night driving is difficult, so where possible, avoid it, or use night driving glasses to reduce glare. Cataracts raise the risk of accidents within the home. Extra care should be taken when going up or down stairs or on uneven surfaces. A walking stick should always be carried (or another stability device). Also, keeping your house neat, organised, not cluttered, and clean will prevent falls from loose mats and cords.
Diet and lifestyle may also be contributing factors. Diet and lifestyle may also be part of the issue. For example, being on a high fruit and vegetable diet, exercising regularly, not smoking, and having any disease under control, eg, diabetes, will improve well-being overall and eye health too. These will not inhibit cataract development, but they will provide improved vision and comfort until the point where surgery is required.
Lifestyle with cataracts can be stressful. It can bring frustration or anxiety about the loss of independence. But it also provides a chance to focus on eye care, act when necessary, and accept treatments that can really help.
Cataracts will cloud vision, but need not cloud life. With the proper care and pragmatic intervention, individuals can still enjoy daily activities, hobbies, and social interaction. Clear and sharp vision is not just a function of seeing clearer, but of living clearer.
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