1. What’s the best thing I can do for my parent who has low vision?
2. Will cataract surgery hurt?
3. Can a cataract return?
4. Does age-related macular degeneration lead to blindness?
5. Can vitamins prevent macular degeneration?
If your parent has low vision, that is a permanent reduction in vision that can’t be corrected by surgery, medication, or use of conventional glasses or contact lenses, the first thing you need is a positive attitude. There is so much that can be done for your parent to maximize the use of the remaining vision. That’s why the second thing you need to do is make an appointment for your parent at a Low Vision Rehabilitation Center. The third thing you can do is tap into the abundant information and resources available for low vision. Many states have Blind Commissions that can assist people even if they are not totally blind.
Typically, cataract surgery feels like getting a bit of sand in your eye. It’s a minimal amount of discomfort and recovery is typically rapid.
No, but there is a significant chance that cells of the cataract can grow across the membranous bag in which the intraocular lens (IOL) is implanted, causing cloudy vision. This is called a “secondary cataract.” It can easily be treated in the doctor’s office with a quick and painless laser treatment called YAG capsulotomy.
While age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of legal blindness in the United States and the Western world, it does not cause total blindness. Advanced forms can cause significant loss of central vision.
A large-scale trial revealed that patients at high risk of developing advanced age-related macular degeneration reduced their risk by 25 percent by taking a specific formulation of vitamins and minerals. Be sure to talk with the ophthalmologist before starting supplements.
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