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June Press Release

Posted on

06/2018                                                                                                                                          JUNE EDITION

                                          

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Will you be a part of the 90%?

June is Cataract Awareness Month. A cataract is a common eye disease that affects many adults as they age. Cataracts cause the lens of the eye to become cloudy. As the lens becomes cloudy over time, it makes it harder for light to strike the retina (the back of the eye) at a sharp point, making images appear blurry and hazy. 

95%of cataracts are age-related. By age 65, over 90% of people will have a cataract and half will experience some type of visual loss from it. Cataracts can be detected and monitored through regular dilated eye exams. As cataracts become worse, cataract surgery can be performed to remove the cloudy lens and replace it with a clear, artificial lens. 

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                                           Normal View                                                    View with a Cataract

Cataract: What Increases Your Risk?

Aging & Cataracts 

As the eye ages, the lens begins to form protein deposits, causing it to become cloudy over time. Symptoms include blurry, hazy vision, double vision, seeing a halo around lights, and difficulty driving at night. Learn more about cataracts as you age.

  PB Cataract Diagram

I’ve got Sunshine…on a Cloudy Day  

Even if the sun is not brightly shining, it is important to wear sunglasses when you are outside. Unprotected, long-term exposure to the sun can damage the lens of your eyes over time and cause cataracts as you age. It is important to wear sunglasses that have a label stating they “absorb 99-100% of UV-A and UV-B rays.”

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Prevent Blindness Wisconsin staff practice eye safety by wearing their sunglasses on a beautiful June afternoon

 

Think Twice Before Lightning Up

                                             Smoking & Cataracts

Learn more about smoking and cataracts.  
 

Safety First! 

Cataracts can form from trauma to the eye. Trauma can include a cut, burn, poke or blow to the eye. This can damage the lens of the eye, leading to complications as you age. If you suffer from an eye injury, schedule an appointment with your eye doctor as soon as possible. It is better to find and monitor concerns early before vision loss occurs. Learn more about vision and eye safety.       

                                            

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Prevent Falls 

                                                 

According to the CDC, 1 in 4 older adults in
America suffer from a fall each year and over 3 million emergency department
visits are fall-related. Many falls result from visual impairment and lack of
coordination. Falls can also contribute to eye injury and trauma, increasing the risk for traumatic cataracts in adults. Learn
more about preventing visual impairment and falls.      

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Impact of Cataracts 

According to the World Health Organization, cataracts are responsible for 51% of world blindness. This is due to lack of vision health education and resources to diagnose, monitor and surgically remove cataracts. Watch this video to learn more.   

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Dilated Eye Exams

Vision loss can be prevented through early detection at regular dilated eye exams. Dilated eye exams are the only way to diagnose cataracts, making it very important to receive them as recommended by your eye doctor. Once a cataract is diagnosed, your eye doctor can monitor it until it is considered “ripe” and is ready to be surgically removed.

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What does life with a cataract look like?

Put yourself in the shoes of someone living with a cataract and see what their world would look like. Download the AR Eye App for your Android or Apple IOS device today!

                                                 AR Eye App Logo

Our sight-saving programs are carried out thanks to the generosity of donations from our partners and volunteers. Help save sight in your community!

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Sources:

Prevent Blindness: Cataracts Diagram

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cataracts/symptoms-causes/syc-20353790

https://ohio.preventblindness.org/eye-and-how-we-see

http://www.morganhuangmd.com/cataracts

http://shine365.marshfieldclinic.org/wellness/dilated-eye-exams/

http://www.wnycvi.org/html/cataracts.html

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/67/wr/mm6718a1.htm?s_cid=mm6718a1_x

https://www.umkelloggeye.org/conditions-treatments/cataract

http://esapuspita.com/pertolongan-pertama-pada-bayi/

https://www.pinterest.com/helpmesee/cataract-blindness/                                                                        

   (414) 765-0505                                                  wisconsin.preventblindness.org                                                [email protected]