Why Seniors Should Get Tested for Cataracts

Vancouver Senior Home Care  |  August 30, 2018

What Every Senior in Vancouver, BC, Needs to Know About Eye Health and Cataracts

Cataracts | Should you go for a cataract exam? If cataracts aren’t treated properly, and promptly, they worsen and can lead to blindness. Preventative examinations and proper medical care may avert the loss of vision. When eyeglasses don’t help and you experience vision that is blurred or doubled or are challenged doing normal activities, book an eye exam.

Remember, if you are having problems, you aren’t alone. Cataracts are a problem for over 24 million people.

What are Cataracts?

Cataracts are especially prevalent in older populations. They prevent the proper amount of light from entering the eyes and limit visual acuity. Cataracts aren’t painful, but they cause big problems driving.

Night vision is usually affected, with a blurring or halo effect appearing around oncoming lights. Colours are no longer vivid, seem lacklustre and hard to recognize, even while wearing eyeglasses. Untreated, an adult’s eyes may become noticeably cloudy and discoloured to others

What triggers cataracts, other than aging? We aren’t sure, but there are known contributing factors.

Contributing Factors of Cataracts:

• Smoking
• Exposure to UV rays
• Hereditary factors
• Diabetes
• Using steroids for extended periods
• Eye injury, specific diseases, or inflammation
• Events that occur before birth, such as an illness the mother has when pregnant

How to Protect Seniors from Cataracts

So, what can you do? How can you be protected from cataracts? Doctors recommend wearing sunglasses with UV protection, quitting smoking, exercising, and eating leafy green veggies. Make appointments annually with your doctor so cataracts can be detected and treated early.

Cataracts, Surgery and Recovery

Surgery to remove cataracts is commonplace in our country, with over 2 million procedures performed annually, with a fantastic 95% success rate. The good news is that patient recovery is typically just a few days, although you’ll need about a month for complete healing. During recovery, your friends and family might want to help out with their loved ones.

This is a good time to suggest a professional caregiver, as well. A patient who can live independently, with some light assistance with activities will be happier during recovery. When an adult receives help with housekeeping, meals or shopping, a sense of competence is maintained. A caregiver can also provide transport to follow-up medical appointments!

The Best Senior Home Care Provider in Vancouver, BC, is Comfort Keepers®

Many families prefer Comfort Keepers® when arranging senior home care services for a loved one in or around Vancouver, British Columbia. 

If you are concerned about the health and well-being of your aging loved ones, we can help with 24-hour care. Comfort Keepers Vancouver also provides home care services like respite care, overnight care, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia care, personal care, and more! 

Comfort Keepers® Vancouver Can Help with Companion Care and Interactive Caregiving™

Personal and empathetic care starts in the heart and allows us to meet our clients’ needs. Comfort Keeper’s philosophy is to elevate the human spirit, and our caregivers ensure your loved one experiences a better quality of life.

Trained caregivers help provide our senior clients with personal home care to help maintain the highest possible quality of life, keeping them happy and healthy at home. Our Interactive Caregiving™ delivers a system of care that addresses safety, nutrition, mind, body, and activities of daily living (ADLs).

Bring The Best Home Care Assistance for Seniors Right Where You Live with Comfort Keepers®

Comfort Keepers® Vancouver is proud to provide elder care in homes throughout Vancouver, keeping seniors safe in their homes. We provide home care for the seniors of Vancouver and the surrounding areas of Burnaby, Langley, Maple Ridge, and Richmond. Please call (604) 689-8609. 

Personal Care and Senior Homecare in Vancouver, BC

Learn more about our unique service, which offers personal care, companionship care, palliative care, and end-of-life care by contacting the Comfort Keepers® Vancouver office.

Accredited and Quality Respite Care Available 24/7 for British Columbia Families

Accreditation Canada has awarded Comfort Keepers® Vancouver with Exemplary Standing. This designation is only achieved after an organization’s policies, procedures, and processes undergo a thorough evaluation by industry experts to ensure they meet or exceed the stringent quality standards set by Accreditation Canada for Home Care companies.

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