“How can you prevent cataracts from getting worse?”
I am a 60 year old male and I have cataracts. How can you prevent cataracts from getting worse?
7 Answers
Dr. Elizabeth Chiang
Ophthalmologist | Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Painesville, OH
Wearing sunglasses with UV protection can help decrease the progression of cataracts. If you are diabetic, you want to keep good sugar control to prevent progression of cataracts.
Eat a well-balanced diet, avoid the sun without sunglasses on.
Unfortunately there are no eye drops or supplements that prevent the formation of cataracts. Vitamin C in a few studies has shown to slow down progression but it's not conclusive. Eye drops such as Can-C and antioxidant drops have not been proven to work either. Good uv-protecting sunglasses are important though.
Cataracts will affect us all. To reduce the rate of progression, have a healthy diet high in antioxidants, control your blood sugar if you have diabetes, don't smoke, don't use steroids unless necessary, and get exercise.
Would avoid prolonged sun exposure.
Alan J. Franklin, MD, PhD
Alan J. Franklin, MD, PhD
Cataracts are progressive. There are certain disease processes (for example, diabetes mellitus) which predispose one to the formation of certain types of cataracts, as well as medications that can induce cataract formation. For a significant portion of patients, however, cataracts are age-related and there is no current therapy available to stop their progression.
You can not do anything to prevent it. If you have diabetes try to control it well to avoid aggravating your cataracts.
