Can Cataracts Be Reversed Without Surgery?

In each of our eyes, we have a natural lens that refracts light rays to help us see. If you have a cataract, this lens becomes cloudy, causing your vision to look hazy, blurry, or muted in color. While certain risk factors, such as taking certain medications or having diabetes, can increase the likelihood for you to develop cataracts most cataracts are age-related. In fact, more than half of all Americans age 80 or older either have cataracts or have had surgery to remove cataracts. 

If you or a loved one is suffering from vision problems due to cataracts, you may be wondering if it is possible for cataracts to be reversed without surgery. The short answer is no; there is no natural cure to reverse cataracts nor have any studies proven that there is an effective, non-surgical method to slow the progression of cataracts. However, this shouldn’t strike you as alarming or even disappointing. In this brief article, a board-certified eye specialist in Tampa with Florida Eye Center will review some steps you can take to reduce your risk factors for developing cataracts and why cataract surgery is nothing to be feared.

Related: How Can I Prevent Cataracts?

What Can Be Done to Reduce My Risk for Developing Cataracts?

While age may be the primary risk factor for developing cataracts, there are some health-related risk factors that you may be able to control, including:

• Obesity
• High blood pressure
• Smoking
• Diabetes
• Long-term steroid use
• Ultraviolet radiation
• Excessive alcohol consumption

The first step a number of healthcare professionals recommend to improve your overall health as well as the health of your eyes is to include more fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C into your diet, such as broccoli, spinach, and asparagus. Certain foods, such as collard greens or eggs, may help to prevent cataract formation as well due to the fact that they contain carotenoids or pigments also found in the lens of your eyes. Adding regular exercise on top of a healthy diet can not only reduce the risk for cataracts but also reduce complications from obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure. As toxins can accumulate in the body when you are dehydrated, it would be wise to stay hydrated as well. However, the most important step you can take to reduce your risk for developing cataracts is to schedule an annual examination with an eye specialist in Tampa who can identify cataracts before they become debilitating. 

Related: Understanding the Symptoms, Causes, and Risk Factors Associated With Cataracts

The Safest, Most Effective Option Is Cataract Surgery

While cataract surgery may sound scary, it’s actually the safest, most effective option for the removal of cataracts and restoration of your vision. At Florida Eye Center, a board-certified eye specialist in Tampa will perform state-of-the-art phacoemulsification in which the cataract is removed and an artificial lens is implanted through a single small incision. The entire surgical procedure is performed in approximately fifteen minutes in an outpatient setting. The process is virtually painless, and even patients in their eighties and early nineties can undergo this surgery without fear of complications. 

The benefits are immeasurable. When you receive cataract treatment in Tampa with Florida Eye Center, you will be provided with the latest advanced technology lenses, such as the AcrySof® ReSTOR® or AcrySof® Toric Intraocular Lens (IOL). Newer lenses, such as the ReSTOR® lens, have been uniquely designed to improve vision at all distances, allowing you to live free of glasses for most activities. For any questions about cataract surgery or to simply schedule a routine eye examination, contact us today. 

To schedule a consultation for cataract treatment in Tampa at the Florida Eye Center, please request an appointment today.

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