Cataracts Are Not an Inevitable Part of Aging

Q. It seems as though all of my mom’s friends have cataracts. Is this an inevitable part of aging? My mom lives alone and needs cataract surgery, which is a concern for me as a long distance caregiver.

Cataracts, a clouding of the lens in the eye that affects vision, impacts more than half of all Americans by the age of 80, according to the National Eye Institute.

A cataract can occur in either or both eyes. It cannot spread from one eye to the other. Common symptoms, according to the National Eye Institute, include:
● Blurry vision

● Colors that seem faded

● Glare

● Not being able to see well at night

● Double vision

● Frequent prescription changes in your eye wear

A study published in the June 2010 research Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals, reports that cataracts could be less prevalent among aging women if they ate more foods rich in vitamins and minerals.

This study looked at the records of 1,808 women who participated in the Carotenoids in Age-Related Eye Disease study, residing in Iowa, Wisconsin and Oregon. Results from this study, conducted by researchers from the University of Wisconsin, revealed that healthy diets are more strongly related to the lower occurrence of nuclear cataracts than any other modifiable risk factor or protective factor studied in this sample of women. Nuclear cataracts are the most common in all people, forming through natural aging in the center of the lens – the nucleus.
The study further concluded that lifestyle improvements such as healthy diets, smoking cessation and avoiding obesity may substantively lower the need for and economic burden of cataract surgery in aging American women.

In most healthy adults, cataract surgery is not a difficult procedure, but your mother most likely would need help with transportation and other services for a time. Consider contacting Home Instead Senior Care® for assistance. CAREGivers provide companionship, meal preparation, medication reminders, light housekeeping, errands and shopping. A CAREGiver could give both you and your mother peace of mind following her surgery, especially if you can’t be there yourself.

For more information about Home Instead Senior Care of Frederick County, visit www.homeinstead.com/627. For additional information about cataracts, log on to http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-06/jaaj-hda061010.php.