We take them for granted everyday, and yet waste very little time keeping them healthy. Our eyes are perhaps our best method of interacting with the world. At certain times, our eyes need a little extra help staying healthy, and eye surgery could be a necessity.

Scared? Don’t be. Eye conditions such as glaucoma and cataracts are certainly not a fun experience, but there is a course of action you can take to catch these conditions quickly and minimize the damage. Read below about how to maintain the health of your eyes, and cataract or glaucoma treatment entails.

What Do You Know About Glaucoma? Because What You Don’t Know Can Devastate You.

The Glaucoma Research Foundation has estimated that about 3 million people have glaucoma, but they don’t even know it. In one study the Foundation conducted on 1,000 people, only 74% of participants admitted that they went to the ophthalmologist every two years. Regular eye checks are an important step in catching an eye condition early.

The Types of Glaucoma: How to Be On the Look Out For Both.

There are two types of glaucoma, open-angle and angle-closure. With both, the problem comes when one or both of your eyes does not drain properly. However, the stages of glaucoma differ between the two.

Open-angle glaucoma progresses slowly. The person may begin to experience blurred vision that becomes slowly worse over time. This is why regular visits to the eye doctor are so important, so that problems can be caught before they progress to the point of causing blindness.

Angle-closure glaucoma is different. Instead of slowing progressing, the person will have an attack. The symptoms will be more noticeable than blurry spots: severe headaches, nausea, vomiting, redness in the eye, and localized pain. When this occurs the person needs to see their eye doctor immediately to stop the progression of damage to the eye.

Treatment May Be Uncomfortable, But It Is Necessary to Avoid Blindness.

Glaucoma treatment might include surgery to relieve the pressure in the eye due to improper drainage. Before that option, though, a doctor might recommend special eye drops, which will slowly help reduce the pressure in the eye. This is a mild form of glaucoma treatment that works best for cases that were caught early.

Laser surgery is the next option. Trabeculoplasty works best for open-angle, or iridotomy, which is better for angle-closure. If the problem has progressed, the operation will need to take place in an operating room.

Cataracts Are a Real Concern Even Today.

Cataracts are an eye disease closely related to age. They begin by causing foggy, or blurry, or distorted vision. The cause is a problem with the lens of the eye, specifically that the lens of the eye becomes cloudy with deposits.

People who are at risk for cataracts are those whose family has a history of the disease, or those who have spent a lot of time in the sun without eye protection. The condition can be in just one eye or both, but it does not spread from one to the other.

Cataract Treatment: To Have the Surgery or Not Have the Surgery?

Cataract surgery is not a foregone conclusion. If the cataracts do not interfere with your life when you take precautions, and you are over the age of 65, you might choose to forego the surgery. Just remember that you will need to make some changes to your life to account for the decline in your vision.

It is worth noting that cataract surgery has a 98% success rate among its patients. Because the lens of the eye is damaged by being cloudy, the doctor will replace it will an artificial lens. There are some risks as there are with any surgery, which makes it important to discuss all options with a doctor.

It can be frightening when one’s vision begins to falter, and the problem is not fixed with eye glasses. The best precaution against cataracts and glaucoma is regular check-ups at the eye doctor. Should a condition present itself, remember that cataract and glaucoma treatment will help you keep your sight, which is a good thing.