Collin County Living Well Magazine July/August 2018 | Page 24

HOW AND WHEN TO HELP
SOMEONE WITH CATARACTS
Courtesy Key-Whitman Eye Center
D
o you wish to help a friend or loved one with
worsening vision live an active life safely? Ac-
cording to Key-Whitman Eye Center’s President
and Chief Surgeon Jeffrey Whitman, assisting
someone is easy to do and can have a big ef-
fect on people in the days, months and years leading up to
cataract surgery.
Numerous individuals currently experience cataracts which
is a gradual clouding of the lens in the eye. This will even-
tually happen to all of us as we age. The worse cataracts
get, the blurrier vision becomes. Loss of color, clarity and
brightness are also common symptoms of cataracts.
What can YOU do to help enhance the life of
somebody with cataracts?
Be proactive and search for indications
of vision loss.
Your friend or loved one may not turn to you and admit they’re
struggling to see, so don’t assume their vision is fine. Dr. Whit-
man recommends that you directly ask someone if they’re ex-
periencing problems with their vision as well as keeping watch
for common signs that cataracts are becoming a problem.
Start early and have a discussion
about safe driving.
The negative effects of cataracts increase along with the se-
verity of the condition. As Dr. Whitman explains, “Symptoms
start with simple things like difficulty reading and seeing the
TV. Things get more serious when someone with advanced
cataracts gets behind the wheel of a car. Glare gets worse
as cataracts do, which makes it hard to read and see street
signs, especially at night. Not only is this dangerous to the
driver and others, it could lead your loved one to give up
driving altogether and living a more cloistered existence,
which could be a detriment to their mental health.”
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COLLIN COUNTY Living Well Magazine | JULY/AUGUST 2018
“Have ‘the talk’ about taking away the keys, before it’s time
to have ‘the talk.’ This is a tough issue to discuss, but it’s
easier if you do it early on. Explain that you don’t want them
to put themselves and others in danger, and when you feel
they’re no longer able to drive safely, you’ll ask them for their
keys. From the early stages of cataracts on, it’s also a good
idea to take a drive with your loved one from time to time to
see if they’re driving safely or not,” Dr. Whitman says.
Seeing indications of impaired vision? Get your
loved one in for an eye exam ASAP.
It’s imperative to have regular eye exams to monitor eye
health and get early treatment for eye diseases and con-
ditions. According to Dr. Whitman, “Sadly, many people
don’t realize they have cataracts or that the condition is
treatable, they just think they’re going blind and nothing
can be done. In fact, cataracts are actually the number one
most treatable form of blindness in the world. Plus, cataract
surgery is widely available and one of the safest surgical
procedures in the United States.”
If the eye doctor verifies that cataracts are to blame, cata-
ract surgery can truly change a person’s life. “For people
who have given up driving and their independence solely
due to cataracts, cataract surgery can help them see great,
so they can drive safely again,” Dr. Whitman says.
While cataracts are treatable, other eye diseases and con-
ditions can lead to irreversible blindness if not diagnosed
and treated early. During the eye exam, the eye doctor will
also screen for progressive conditions like macular degen-
eration, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and others.
Preceding cataract surgery, make your loved
one’s home a safer place.
When you visit the home, examine their entire space for
tripping hazards, like rugs, electrical cords, boxes, stacks