As it turns out, a side effect of cancer treatment can be cataracts. Over the last two years, I have battled cancer treatment-induced cataracts. The good news is they can be fixed and I can see again!
BY DANA STEWART
PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 19, 2018
Dana Stewart was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010 at the age of 32. She is the co-founder of a cancer survivorship organization called The Dragonfly Angel Society. She volunteers as an advocate and mentor, focusing on young adults surviving cancer. She enjoys writing about life as a cancer survivor, as well as connecting survivors to the resources, inspirations and stories that have helped her continue to live her best life, available at www.dragonflyangelsociety.com.
Cancer and cataracts have a connection. Who knew? I definitely had no clue. And then the unthinkable happened: I was diagnosed with cataracts. About two years ago, I noticed my eyesight started to seem cloudy. Soon after, I noticed just how sensitive my eyes were to bright lights, specifically sunny days. My first thought was to question if there was a potential I was turning into a vampire. What other explanation could there be?
Well, turns out I am not a vampire but still, something was seriously wrong with my eyes. My background story includes cancer. My diagnosis was estrogen-positive breast cancer when I was 32 years old. I was early stage, but the treatment was all but simple. Being as young as I was, it meant surgeries and it meant chemo….lots of it. Along with that comes a pretty substantial dose of steroids. I remember before my first treatment I received a massive binder of everything that could happen with chemo treatment from secondary cancers to loss of feeling in my fingers or toes, to the obvious hair loss and anything else in between. There is one side effect I don't remember hearing about. And that was – chemo and steroids may cause cataracts.
Well, turns out I am not a vampire but still, something was seriously wrong with my eyes. My background story includes cancer. My diagnosis was estrogen-positive breast cancer when I was 32 years old. I was early stage, but the treatment was all but simple. Being as young as I was, it meant surgeries and it meant chemo….lots of it. Along with that comes a pretty substantial dose of steroids. I remember before my first treatment I received a massive binder of everything that could happen with chemo treatment from secondary cancers to loss of feeling in my fingers or toes, to the obvious hair loss and anything else in between. There is one side effect I don't remember hearing about. And that was – chemo and steroids may cause cataracts.
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