Can Cataracts Come Back? Eye Health Tips for Seniors

According to the National Institutes of Health, cataracts affect more than half of the population above the age of 80. With so many seniors dealing with cataracts, it's vital to understand how to handle them. But can cataracts come back, and if so, how do we deal with them?

Albuquerque, NM, is one of the best cities to spend your golden years. Our perfect climate, friendly community, and vibrant local events are ideal to improve your comfort and add excitement to your life.

If you're interested in Albuquerque senior health, then eye wellness is where you can start. Read on to learn more about vision care and cataract surgery, as well as how to handle the recovery process.

Can Cataracts Come Back?

While we'll discuss this further down, let's get the answer out of the way: No, cataracts can not return after surgery.

Cataracts affect the lens of your eye. The surgery to correct cataracts involves removing the lens of your eye.

With the lens removed, cataracts will not be able to reappear. However, a post-operation symptom called Secondary Cataracts can mimic your original cataracts.

What's a Cataract?

What are cataracts, and how do they impact your vision?

According to the Cleveland Clinic, cataracts are a clouded spot on the lens of your eye, which takes light into your eye. These cataracts can appear for many reasons, but can also appear as a simple result of aging.

The majority of seniors get cataracts at some point. They're so common that many medical professionals consider them to be part of aging!

Named After Locations

You'll see multiple names for cataracts while researching. That's because cataracts have different names depending on where on your lens they are.

Your medical professional can help you discover where yours is. According to the Mayo Clinic, some common cataracts are:

• Posterior subcapsular cataract
• Cortical cataract
• Nuclear sclerotic cataract

These three types of cataracts are the most common cataracts in seniors.

Cataracts Caused by Trauma

Traumatic Cataracts are caused by damage to the eye or the area surrounding it. One of the most common ways to have this happen is through a fall or bumping your head.

Traumatic cataracts are often more difficult to repair. That's because the trauma may have also damaged the area around the lens.

Secondary Cataracts

Secondary cataracts are often what people are referring to when they're worried about cataracts returning.

If you have cataract symptoms after your surgery, we call it a secondary cataract. That means that something is causing your artificial lens to fog or cloud up post-surgery

Secondary cataracts are very common. However, you'll need medical attention to address the issue.

Cataract Symptoms

Cataracts affect your eyes, so your vision is bound to be affected. But what other symptoms will happen? Here are some of the main symptoms of cataracts.

Blurred Vision

Cataracts will almost always cause blurring of your vision. While corrective glasses can help, you won't be able to eliminate this symptom with such a thing. Given that it's on your lens, there's no getting away from blurred vision until corrective surgery occurs.

That's especially an issue when dealing with bright light. Another symptom is that sources of light, such as lamps and street lights, have a halo or pattern around them. If you're familiar with astigmatism, then you've experienced this symptom.

Eye Discomfort

Cataracts rarely cause pain directly. However, many of their symptoms can cause pain and discomfort.

The eye can feel permanently irritated due to the cataracts. Issues with blurred vision can cause eye strain as well.

Another issue is that cataracts make your eyes more sensitive to light. Bright lights, in particular, will cause pain and discomfort.

We recommend using deeply tinted sunglasses until your cataracts are treated. That way, you can still enjoy your senior living community activities without issue.

Poor Night Vision

Issues with bright lights don't make low light easier. Dim lighting is exceptionally troublesome for people with cataracts.

For seniors who drive, cataracts can be very dangerous for late-night drives. The lights will hurt your eyes, but other areas will appear much darker. We strongly recommend avoiding driving to aid with this.

Issues With Color and Vision

Blurs and streaks are far from the only way your vision is impacted. Some cataract patients report issues with seeing color.

Your eyes will struggle to pick up color due to your cataracts. As a result, you'll have a dimmer view when trying to see colors. Your world won't turn black-and-white, but you should expect muted colors.

Surgery for Cataracts

With a better understanding of cataracts, what should you expect from the procedure? Here's the procedure itself, as well as the recovery.

The Procedure

Cataract surgery is exceptionally common and is generally considered safe. Risks like retinal detachment and infection are present, but are not common results.

Your lens is removed and replaced with an intraocular lens, or IOL. However, traumatic cataracts may require further surgery to repair damage done by the injury that caused the cataract.

Recovery From Surgery

Cataract recovery can take about two months. Most patients experience a return to their vision sooner than this. Eight weeks is the timeline for a full recovery.

Some symptoms that you should expect to battle are:

• Discomfort or irritation with the eye
• Lingering pain in the eye where the surgery was completed
• Worse depth reception during recovery

Speak to your doctor about a painkiller prescription to help with these symptoms. It's unlikely you'll need heavy medication as a result of cataract surgery. If prescribed medication, always ensure you're focusing on safety while taking it.

Cataracts and Vision Care

Can cataracts come back? Cataract surgery will remove your lens in order to restore your aging eyesight, making it impossible for your cataracts to come back. Symptoms like secondary cataracts can make you feel like the cataracts have returned and will require medical attention.

Here at Morada Quintessence, we pride ourselves on providing our community members with everything they need to live out their golden years in comfort.

With 24-hour assistance, daily living activities, weekly housekeeping, and more, we're eager to help you make the most out of your life. Schedule a tour to see how we can help your golden years shine.