Cataracts affect over twenty two million Americans. In honor of Cataract Awareness Month, Lake Nona Eye Care wants to help protect you and your loved one from developing contacts.

Cataracts develop slowly, you may not notice them at first, but the eye’s lens becomes cloudy, over time it causes dimmed or blurred vision.

“The lens is important because it focuses images onto the retina at the back of the eye. The image is then processed and sent to the brain. As a cataract matures, it often causes glare, as well as diminished contrast and color sensitivity.” Friends for Sight

Other symptoms include; problems seeing at night, double vision in one eye, frequent changes in prescription contact lenses or eyeglasses, seeing halos around lights, and colors appear faded.

Luckily you can reduce your risk of developing cataracts

Protect your eyes from the sun

Research has shown the protein found in the lens of the eye breakdown due to exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun, resulting in cataracts. Living in our tropical environment makes it especially important to wear glasses with 100 percent UV protection.

Consuming over two alcoholic beverages a day may increase your risk of developing cataracts, according to a study at Boston University.

Cigarette smokers are at a much higher risk for developing cataracts. Not only does smoking significantly reduce the amount of antioxidants the body has, the eye lens is also damaged by the free radicals found in tobacco smoke.

Unfortunately, developing cataracts is not always avoidable. Which is why routine eye exams are vital to healthy eyes, regardless of your physical well-being or your age.

Many eye diseases threaten more than just our vision, they can affect our overall well being

During a comprehensive eye exam the Team at Lake Nona Eye Care do much more than just establish your prescription for contact lenses or eyeglasses. A compressive exam will include checking for eye diseases and other issues leading to vision loss.

Make an appointment with Lake Nona Eye Care at one of our two Lake Nona locations, Moss Park 407-658-9990 and Eagle Creek 407-930-5305