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Lifestyle and home remedies

By Mayo Clinic staff

To deal with symptoms of cataracts until you decide to have surgery, try to:

  • Make sure your eyeglasses or contact lenses are the most accurate prescription possible
  • Use a magnifying glass to read
  • Improve the lighting in your home with more or brighter lamps
  • When you go outside during the day, wear sunglasses or a broad-brimmed hat to reduce glare
  • Limit your night driving

Self-care measures may help for a while, but as the cataract progresses, your vision may deteriorate further. When vision loss starts to interfere with your everyday activities, consider cataract surgery.

Prevention Treatments and drugs
References
  1. Facts about cataract. National Eye Institute. http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/cataract/cataract_facts.asp. Accessed May 2, 2013.
  2. Cataract. American Optometric Association. http://www.aoa.org/cataract.xml. Accessed May 3, 2013.
  3. What are cataracts? American Academy of Ophthalmology. http://www.geteyesmart.org/eyesmart/diseases/cataracts.cfm. Accessed May 2, 2013.
  4. Cataract symptoms. American Academy of Ophthalmology. http://www.geteyesmart.org/eyesmart/diseases/cataracts-symptoms.cfm. Accessed May 2, 2013.
  5. Cataract causes. American Academy of Ophthalmology. http://www.geteyesmart.org/eyesmart/diseases/cataracts-cause.cfm. Accessed May 2, 2013.
  6. Yanoff M, ed., et al. Ophthalmology. 3rd ed. Edinburgh, U.K.: Mosby Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-04332-8..00073-1--s0180&isbn=978-0-323-04332-8&sid=1438275868&uniqId=410656703-3#4-u1.0-B978-0-323-04332-8..00073-1--s0180. Accessed May 3, 2013.
  7. Cataract in the adult eye PPP. American Academy of Ophthalmology. http://one.aao.org/ce/practiceguidelines/ppp_content.aspx?cid=a80a87ce-9042-4677-85d7-4b876deed276. Accessed May 2, 2013.
  8. Jacobs DS. Cataract in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed May 3, 2013.
  9. Who is at risk for cataracts? American Academy of Ophthalmology. http://www.geteyesmart.org/eyesmart/diseases/cataracts-risk.cfm. Accessed May 2, 2013.
  10. Cataract surgery. American Academy of Ophthalmology. http://www.geteyesmart.org/eyesmart/diseases/cataract-surgery.cfm. Accessed May 2, 2013.
  11. Cataract diagnosis. American Academy of Ophthalmology. http://www.geteyesmart.org/eyesmart/diseases/cataracts-diagnosis.cfm. Accessed May 2, 2013.
  12. Knoop KJ. Slit lamp examination. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed May 7, 2013.
  13. Rakel D. Integrative Medicine. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2012. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4377-1793-8..00066-2--s0050&isbn=978-1-4377-1793-8&sid=1438276431&uniqId=410656703-5#4-u1.0-B978-1-4377-1793-8..00066-2--s0055. Accessed May 3, 2013.
  14. Robertson DM (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. June 11, 2013.
  15. Mares JA, et al. Healthy diets and the subsequent prevalence of nuclear cataract in women. Archives of Ophthalmology. 2010;128:738.
DS00050 July 30, 2013

© 1998-2013 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "EmbodyHealth," "Enhance your life," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

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