Worried About Cataracts? Here's What You Need to Know

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• May 31, 2023
• Full Page

Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness around the world, but surgery can restore vision.

“Unlike many of the other major eye diseases, such as glaucoma or diabetes-related eye disease, cataracts can be easily and painlessly treated by surgery to remove and replac...

Vision Is Vulnerable With Age: Here's What to Look For

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• November 6, 2022
• Full Page

Routine eye checks can help ensure seniors know if they're developing any age-related vision issues.

An expert from Baylor College of Medicine spells out what seniors need to know.

"Don't blame vision issues on just aging eyes. Get your eyes checked out because it ...

Cataract Surgery Might Lower Your Odds for Dementia

• Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
• December 7, 2021
• Full Page

People who undergo surgery to treat cataracts may have a lower likelihood of developing Alzheimer's disease, a new study suggests.

Of more than 3,000 older adults with the eye disease, those who had surgery were about 30% less likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer's in t...

Vision Troubles Could Raise Midlife Depression Risk for Women

• Robert Preidt
• October 27, 2021
• Full Page

Midlife vision problems could increase women's risk of depression, new research suggests.

Rates of eye problems and depression rise during midlife, but knowledge about how vision affects depression at that time has been limited. The new study identified a significant lin...

Cataracts Tied to Higher Odds of Death From Heart Disease

• Ernie Mundell and Robert Preidt HealthDay Reporters
• October 26, 2021
• Full Page

Cataracts, a common eye disorder that often comes with age, may also be linked to a heightened risk of death from heart disease, new research shows.

Experts stressed that the finding doesn't mean that cataracts somehow cause heart trouble, and the study wasn't designed t...

Common Eye Conditions Tied to Higher Risk for Dementia

• Steven Reinberg and Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporters
• September 17, 2021
• Full Page

Diseases that can rob you of vision as you age also appear to be tied to an increased risk for dementia, a new study finds.

Specifically, age-related macular degeneration, cataracts and diabetes-related eye disease were linked with a higher likelihood of dementia, resear...

Cataracts: Common, and Easy to Treat

• June 13, 2021
• Full Page

Many aging Americans can have their vision dimmed by cataracts, but the good news is that they're easily treated, one expert says.

By age 80, half of Americans either have cataracts or have had surgery to remove them, according to Dr. Waid Blackstone, an ophthalmologist ...

Weight-Loss Surgery Might Also Help Prevent Cataracts

• Ernie Mundell and Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporters
• May 13, 2021
• Full Page

Weight-loss surgery can trim waistlines, and new research suggests it could also protect aging eyes.

The study found that after bariatric (weight-loss) surgery, a person's odds for cataracts can drop significantly, especially among younger patients.

Why might ...

Could a Few Glasses of Wine Per Week Help Ward Off Cataracts?

• Ernie Mundell and Robert Preidt
• April 1, 2021
• Full Page

Cataracts are a threat to the vision of millions, but new study suggests a welcome aid to prevention: wine.

A few glasses of alcohol -- especially red wine -- a week may help reduce your risk of cataract surgery, new British research suggests.

"The fact that our f...

Vision Problems? Here's a Guide to Which Specialist Is Right for You

• January 17, 2021
• Full Page

If you're having eye problems, you may not know which type of specialist to consult.

Here's some help from experts who explain the roles of an optometrist, ophthalmologist, pediatric ophthalmologist, orthoptist and optician.

Optometrists provide comprehensive eye c...

When Popping Champagne at New Years', Watch Out for That Cork

• Cara Murez
• December 31, 2020
• Full Page

As 2020 comes to a close, many people plan to ring in the new year with a bit of bubbly.

But that can lead to calamity when not done safely, warns the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), which offers tips for keeping a Champagne toast from going wrong.

A warm ...

Cataract Surgery in Infancy May Raise Glaucoma Risk in Childhood

• Robert Preidt
• December 22, 2020
• Full Page

Infants who have cataract removal surgery are at increased risk for sight-threatening glaucoma later in childhood, researchers say.

Glaucoma damages the optic nerve -- the connection between the eye and brain -- and can lead to vision loss.

Fewer than 2,500 infants...

Have Diabetes? Don't Lose Sight of Danger to Your Eyes

• Serena Gordon
• August 10, 2020
• Full Page

Diabetes can wreak havoc on many parts of the body, including the eyes, but people with diabetes aren't doomed to have vision problems.

With good blood sugar management and regular eye exams, many eye conditions can be prevented or treated, experts say.

P...

Rising Number of Older Americans at Risk of Vision Loss

• Steven Reinberg
• March 12, 2020
• Full Page

As the population ages, millions of older Americans are at risk of losing their sight, a new study warns.

Between 2002 and 2017, the number at high risk for vision loss rose from 65 million to 93 million, according to federal health data.

"The number of a...

Opioid Prescriptions for Eye Surgery Patients Surge

• Alan Mozes
• September 19, 2019
• Full Page

Though eye surgery has gotten easier for patients, the percentage who filled an opioid prescription after an eye operation tripled between 2000 and 2014, a new study reports.

"This really is surprising, given that there have been tremendous strides in the past decade...