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A cataract is a clouding of the eye's normally clear lens. Cataract patients compare seeing through cloudy lenses to looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. Cataracts can cause clouded vision, making it difficult to read, drive a car (especially at night), or see the expression on a friend's face.
Most cataracts develop slowly and do not interfere with your vision at first. Cataracts, on the other hand, will eventually impair your vision.
Stronger lighting and eyeglasses can help you deal with cataracts at first. However, if your vision is interfering with your daily activities, you may require cataract surgery. Cataract surgery, fortunately, is generally a safe and effective procedure.
WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF CATARACTS?
Types of cataracts include:
- Nuclear cataracts (cataracts affecting the center of the lens): At first, a nuclear cataract may cause increased nearsightedness or even a temporary improvement in your reading vision. However, as time passes, the lens becomes more densely yellow, further obscuring your vision.
The lens may even turn brown as the cataract progresses. Advanced yellowing or browning of the lens can make it difficult to distinguish between color shades.
- Cataracts affecting the lens's edges (cortical cataracts): Cortical cataracts begin as whitish, wedge-shaped opacities or streaks on the lens cortex's outer edge. The streaks gradually extend to the center of the lens and interfere with light passing through it.
- Back of the lens cataracts (posterior subcapsular cataracts): A posterior subcapsular cataract begins as a small, opaque area near the back of the lens, directly in the path of light. A posterior subcapsular cataract frequently impairs reading vision, reduces vision in bright light, and causes glare or halos around lights at night. These types of cataracts progress more quickly than others.
- Cataracts that are present at birth (congenital cataracts): Some people are born with cataracts, while others develop them as children. These cataracts could be hereditary or caused by an intrauterine infection or trauma.
Certain conditions, such as myotonic dystrophy, galactosemia, neurofibromatosis type 2 or rubella, may also cause cataracts. Congenital cataracts do not always impair vision, but when they do, they are usually removed as soon as they are discovered.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF CATARACTS?
Cataract symptoms and signs include:
- Vision that is clouded, blurred, or dim
- Rising difficulty with vision at night
- Light and glare sensitivity
- Need for brighter light when reading as well as other activities
- Seeing "halo" effects around lights
- Changes in eyeglass or contact lens prescription on a regular basis
- Color fading or yellowing
- Double vision in one eye
At first, the cloudiness in your vision caused by a cataract may only affect a small portion of the eye's lens, and you may be completely unaware of any vision loss. As the cataract grows in size, it clouds more of your lens and distorts the light that passes through it. This could result in more noticeable symptoms.
WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF CATARACTS?
The majority of cataracts develop as a result of aging or injury to the tissue that makes up the eye's lens. Proteins and fibers in the lens begin to degrade, resulting in hazy or cloudy vision.
Some inherited genetic disorders that cause other health issues can increase your chances of developing cataracts. Other eye conditions, previous eye surgery, or medical conditions such as diabetes can also cause cataracts. Long-term use of steroid medications can also result in cataract formation.
HOW DOES A CATARACT FORM?
A cataract is defined as a cloudy lens. The lens is placed behind the colored portion of your eye (iris). The lens focuses light that enters your eye, resulting in clear, sharp images on the retina — the light-sensitive membrane in your eye that works similarly to film in a camera.
The lenses in your eyes become less flexible, less transparent, and thicker as you age. Proteins and fibers within the lenses break down and clump together as a result of aging and other medical conditions, clouding the lenses.
The clouding becomes denser as the cataract progresses. As light passes through the lens, a cataract scatters and blocks it, preventing a sharply defined image from reaching your retina. As a result, your vision is hazy.
Cataracts usually develop in both eyes at the same time, but not always. One eye's cataract may be more advanced than the other, resulting in a difference in vision between the two.
WHAT ARE THE RISK FACTORS OF CATARACTS?
The following factors increase your risk of cataracts:
- Smoking
- Obesity
- Hypertension
- Growing older
- Diabetes
- Excessive sunlight exposure
- Previous injury or inflammation to the eye
- Previous eye surgery
- Corticosteroid medication use for an extended period of time
- consuming an excessive amount of alcohol
HOW IS CATARACTS DIAGNOSED?
Your doctor will review your medical history and symptoms, as well as perform an eye examination, to determine whether you have a cataract. Your doctor may order the following tests:
Visual acuity test: A visual acuity test employs an eye chart to assess your ability to read a series of letters. One of your eyes is tested at a time, while the other is covered. Your eye doctor determines whether you have 20/20 vision or not by using a chart or a viewing device with progressively smaller letters.
Slit-lamp examination: A slit lamp allows your eye doctor to magnify the structures at the front of your eye. The microscope is known as a slit lamp because it illuminates your cornea, iris, lens, and the space between your iris and cornea with an intense line of light called a slit. The slit allows your doctor to examine these structures in small sections, making it easier to detect any small abnormalities.
Retinal exam: Your eye doctor will place drops in your eyes to widen your pupils in preparation for a retinal exam (dilate). This makes inspecting the back of your eyes easier (retina). Your eye doctor can examine your lens for signs of a cataract using a slit lamp or a special device called an ophthalmoscope.
Applanation tonometry: This test measures the amount of fluid in your eye. There are numerous devices available to accomplish this.
WHAT ARE THE TREATMENTS FOR CATARACTS?
When prescription glasses are no longer effective, the only effective treatment for cataracts is surgery.
When should you consider cataract surgery?
Consult your eye doctor to determine whether surgery is right for you. When your cataracts begin to affect your quality of life or interfere with your ability to perform normal daily activities, such as reading or driving at night, most eye doctors recommend cataract surgery.
When cataract surgery is appropriate for you, you and your doctor will decide. Most people are not in a hurry to have cataracts removed because they usually do not harm the eyes. However, cataracts can worsen more quickly in people with certain conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or obesity.
Delaying the procedure will generally have no effect on how well your vision recovers if you decide to have cataract surgery later. Discuss the benefits and risks of cataract surgery with your doctor.
If you decide not to have cataract surgery right away, your eye doctor may recommend periodic check-ups to see how your cataracts are progressing. The frequency with which you visit your eye doctor is determined by your circumstances.
What takes place during cataract surgery?
The clouded lens is removed and replaced with a clear artificial lens during cataract surgery. The artificial lens, known as an intraocular lens, is placed in the same location as your natural lens. It is an indelible part of your vision.
Other eye problems prevent some people from using an artificial lens. Once the cataract is removed, vision can be corrected with eyeglasses or contact lenses.
Cataract surgery is typically performed as an outpatient procedure, which means you will not be required to stay in a hospital following the procedure. Your eye doctor will use a local anesthetic to numb the area around your eye during cataract surgery, but you will usually remain awake.
Although cataract surgery is generally safe, there is a risk of infection and bleeding. Cataract surgery raises the possibility of retinal detachment.
You will be sore for a few days after the procedure. Healing typically takes a few weeks.
If you require cataract surgery in both eyes, your doctor will schedule the second surgery after you have recovered from the first.
HOME REMEDIES FOR CATARACTS
To manage cataract symptoms until you decide to have surgery, try the following:
- Ascertain that your eyeglasses or contact lenses have the most precise prescription possible.
- If you need extra assistance reading, use a magnifying glass.
- Increase the lighting in your home by adding more or brighter lamps.
- Wear sunglasses or a broad-brimmed hat outside during the day to reduce glare.
- Reduce your nighttime driving.
Self-care measures may help for a time, but as the cataract progresses, your vision may worsen. Consider cataract surgery if your vision loss begins to interfere with your daily activities.