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A Patient's Guide to Treatment Options for Cataracts
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Cataracts are a common eye problem in the United States. As they age, many Americans will experience vision problems related to cataracts. Left untreated, cataracts can lead to severe vision impairment and, sometimes, complete blindness. Indeed, cataracts are the leading cause of blindness.
Treating cataracts is expensive and, often, a risky proposition. Cataract surgery is one option that works. However, it costs great amounts of money and must be conducted by highly skilled experts to prevent problems. It is often unavailable to those with lower incomes, and may not be covered by some health insurance plans. Alternative treatments and natural remedies are other options, but their efficacy is not always clear.
Surgery Options for Treating Cataracts
The formation and causes of cataracts are a subject of scientific research. Many cataracts form as a result of age. Other factors such as high blood pressure, smoking, and diabetes, can also lead to the formation of cataracts. Cataracts are formed when protein in the lens of the eye clumps together and begins to block the eye's ability to see clearly.
In cataract surgery, the surgeon will remove the clouded lens from the eye. In its place, the surgeon will insert an artificial lens to transmit the light and enable the eye to see clearly again. Cataract surgery has undergone rapid improvement in recent decades, however, it is still a highly complex area of treatment.
To make your treatment safe, you will want to find the best cataract surgeons in your geographic area. If you live in a small town, you might need to visit a major city with good medical centers for treatment.
Natural and Alternative Treatments for Cataracts
There are numerous home remedies and natural treatments for cataracts. The main problem with home remedies for cataracts is that the scientific attestation for them is often weak. Even if a solution works for someone, replicating the treatment successfully for other people is hard because the original treatment is not fully documented. Using home remedies, therefore, can be just as risky as visiting an eye surgeon for treatment.
A non-invasive approach you can use at home is to improve your diet and fitness. Improving your overall fitness can sometimes help reduce the severity of cataracts. A good diet can lead to improved vision. You should increase your intake of fruits and vegetables, such as spinach, carrots, as well as legumes such as peas and beans.
Cost of Cataract Lens
If you opt to undergo cataract surgery, you will receive a new lens which is inserted in the eye. You only need to get the lens for the eye with the cataract. Cataract lens, also known as intraocular lens, can cost in the range of $3500 or more. If you need corrective lens that reduce your need for reading glasses, this adds as much as $2500 or more to the total cost.
There may be other costs related to follow up care that you will need to budget for as well. After cataract surgery, you will need to see the doctor to monitor your treatment.
How to Dissolve Cataracts
New treatments now being explored by the medical fraternity seek to dissolve cataracts entirely using medical means with no surgery. If successful, these new approaches could cut down on the complications in eye health that can arise from surgery.
While there have long been many home remedies and eye drops that claim to improve vision, their ability to dissolve cataracts has not been well proven.
Scientists have created new eye drop treatments that break down the protein in the cataract and clear away the cataract. Lab tests involving rabbits and other test subjects give scientists confidence that, ultimately, a successful solution for humans is possible.
Can Cataracts Come Back After Treatment?
After a cataract is taken away, it cannot come back because the actual cataract does not stay in the body during surgery. The artificial lens that you will have is not susceptible to cataracts. In some instances, however, a condition known as capsular opacification can develop. This is a clouding of the eye capsule which leads to blurred vision. The patient may have the impression that the cataract has returned. However, this condition can be treated by the doctor using a laser to create an opening in capsule that restores vision.
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Source: https://www.life123.com/article/a-patients-guide-to-treatment-options-for-cataracts?utm_content=params%3Ao%3D740009%26ad%3DdirN%26qo%3DserpIndex