A Royal Way to Avoid Cataracts

Queen Elizabeth’s recent cataract operation highlights one of the eye diseases that commonly afflict people in their later years; cataracts if left untreated have serious problems on a person’s vision and may ultimately lead to blindness. Surgery is the ultimate solution for people who have cataracts but clearly, it is so much better to avoid surgery because even in the commonest of procedures there is a slight risk which also increases with age. Surgery can be avoided.

In the case of the Queen, there are no worries about either cost or access to treatment. That is not the case for many people who have to wait for treatment on the NHS and while they wait, the situation commonly deteriorates.

Her Majesty’s mother reached 100 while her husband is already in his mid-90s so the genes of the family look very strong. As long as they follow the advice that everyone gets about a healthy diet and exercise, they can look forward to a long life.

It is important that you should think about your eyes as well as the rest of your bodies. It is all too easy to take vision for granted and that includes assuming that your eyesight will be unaffected as the years go by.

However, some vision problems emerge with age and they include cataracts which develop on the lens, causing it to go increasingly misty. The result is that light cannot penetrate to the back of the eye making vision blurred. Most people find the need for reading glasses in their later years. That may be the end of it, but getting eyes tested regularly to identify if there are any problems other than simple age makes perfect sense.

Cataracts are most common in people in their 60s and above so in the case of the Queen, she has suffered minimal problems until 30 years later. She is fairly fortunate in that.

In today’s world, there are an increasing number of reasons why people may find issues with their eyes. Smoking and alcohol are factors, but they have been around for years. Perhaps a factor that has emerged more recently is the use of computer screens, and then of course, smartphones which are widely used? Eyes will feel the strain from looking at their small screens for long and regular periods.

If you think this all sounds fairly depressing, read on because you can look after your eyes in a few ways. You should take regular breaks from your screens but as part of a regime to avoid getting the problems that her Majesty has had, you should consider cataract drops. Over the years they have been established as a cheap and safe way to treat eyes and potentially dissolve any small cataracts that may be developing. Healthy supplements in general are a simple way to help address problems of vision.

Everyone is delighted that Queen Elizabeth has had a successful operation. When there is increasing pressure on the NHS and increasing costs for private attention, you should think about your eyes and the things you can do to avoid facing problems yourself.