Because emotional or psychological stress is associated with increased oxidant production and oxidative damage, long-term exposure to emotional or psychological stressors may enhance the risk of many diseases associated with oxidative stress, including cataracts.
Dehydration can also cause your cataracts to develop more quickly, so drink plenty of water and avoid too much alcohol. Smoking also makes it more likely cataracts will progress, so if you need the motivation to quit, let cataracts be it.
Trauma-related cataracts are typically the most fast-growing type of cataracts. Radiation: Radiation-related cataracts, sometimes listed under trauma-related cataracts, occur after the lens has been exposed to radiation. Exposure to high levels of radiation can result in clouded vision in as little as two years.
In fact, continuous stress and elevated cortisol levels negatively impact the eye and brain due to autonomous nervous system (sympathetic) imbalance and vascular dysregulation; hence stress may also be one of the major causes of visual system diseases such as glaucoma and optic neuropathy.
In most people, cataracts start developing around age 60, and the average age for cataract surgery in the United States is 73.
There is no natural cure for cataracts. According to the Mayo Clinic, no studies have proved how to prevent cataracts or slow their progression. But some healthy lifestyle practices that may be helpful include: Have regular eye examinations.
Anxiety can cause many eye problems and vision symptoms, such as seeing stars, shimmers, blurry vision, shadows, sensitivity to light, eye strain, tunnel vision, and others.
Research has shown that eating foods that contain the healthy vitamins C and E, and lutein and zeaxanthin, may reduce your risk of cataracts. Additionally, if you already have cataracts, these vitamins and nutrients may slow their progression.
Patients who wait more than 6 months for cataract surgery may experience negative outcomes during the wait period, including vision loss, a reduced quality of life and an increased rate of falls.
Studies have suggested that the antioxidants in whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk and progression of cataracts. Carrots, in particular, nourish the eyes with beta-carotene, which converts to vitamin A. Carbohydrates are not good for the eyes or the body.
For example, if you have advanced macular degeneration or a detached retina as well as cataracts, it's possible that removing the cataract and replacing it with a clear intraocular lens (IOL) might not improve your eyesight. In such cases, cataract surgery may not be recommended.
Most cataracts are caused by normal changes in your eyes as you get older. When you're young, the lens in your eye is clear. Around age 40, the proteins in the lens of your eye start to break down and clump together. This clump makes a cloudy area on your lens — or a cataract.
As mentioned above, cloudiness is a sign that your cataracts are worsening. Cloudiness is, literally, when it looks like you're trying to see through cloudy, foggy air.
Cataracts affect sleep and cognitive function, says study. - Maxivision Eye Care. June 2015 — If you've been feeling tired and sleepy during the day, maybe it's time to get that cataract surgery you've been putting off. A recent study found that people with cataracts often experience poor sleep quality.
Finally, severe anxiety can make you feel dizzy, which may make you feel like your vision has become blurred. In the long term, when extreme stress and anxiety happens frequently, your body's heightened cortisol levels can cause glaucoma and optic neuropathy, which can lead to blindness.
Depression and Vision
Clinically depressed individuals or people going through periods of intense stress are more likely to experience the following vision problems: Blurred vision: Individuals may experience a lack of sharpness in their vision, preventing them from seeing fine details clearly.
Stress can lead to symptoms of vision loss, and it can affect one eye or both eyes both intermittently or constantly. Types of stress that can have an impact include anxiety, social isolation, depression, fear and worry.
Lutein and zeaxanthin work in tandem with vitamin E to fight macular degeneration and cataracts. These are both carotenoids that act as antioxidants to fight oxidation. Other carotenoids include beta-carotene and lycopene.
Omega-3 fatty acids are also known to reduce the risk of cataract development and progression. Good sources of omega-3 fatty acids include shrimp, tuna, cod, salmon, halibut, trout, herring, walnut, flaxseed oil, canola oil and spinach. Eat fish at least twice per week to nourish your eyes and protect your vision.
The most commonly prescribed antibacterial eye drops are 4th generation fluoroquinolones, namely gatifloxacin and moxifloxacin.
Doctors suggest winter as a good time to get the surgery done as the season can help you recover quickly. But it is not really stringent, all you need to keep in mind is if the vision is getting excessively blurred and your daily activities are getting hampered, then get the cataract removed as soon as possible.
Unfortunately, there's no way to get rid of cataracts without cataract surgery. Some ophthalmologists are exploring alternatives, but at this time, only cataract surgery can cure your cataracts.