Cataract: Causes, Diagnosis & Treatment

What is cataract?

Cataract is the clouding of the eye's natural lens, which affects vision. The condition is common in people aged above 40. The clouded or foggy vision can bring difficulty in reading, driving, and colours may appear less bright than they are. This condition makes the light from the sun or lamp too bright or glaring.

What causes Cataract?

The lens of our eyes functions like a camera lens; it focuses light onto the retina and makes our vision clear. It also adjusts the light helping us to see things clearly, which is near or far to us. The lens is made of protein and water. As we age the normal protein in the lens start to break down, and the protein starts to tuft together and starts to cloud small areas of the lens. Gradually it can cloud larger areas and ultimately lead to blindness.

What happens if Cataract is left untreated?

• Will continue to worsen over time, resulting in reduced vision.
• It can affect the overall quality of life in many ways like reading, working, driving, sports, etc
• Cataracts increase the risk of automobile accidents, fractures, and falls.
• Delaying cataract surgery also makes the lens vulnerable to complications. The untreated Cataract gets so dense and becomes more challenging to treat or remove by     key hole surgery.
• It can cause total blindness if left untreated.
• It also leads to psychological issues like depression and social detachment.

Risk Factors of Cataract

• Age.
• People with diabetes.
• Smoking.
• Obesity.
• Usage of steroid medication - long term use
• Who spends more time in unprotected sunlight.
• Ocular injury & inflammation.

Diagnosis

When vision reduces have an eye check up and look for presence of cataract.

If glasses or contacts can correct your vision, your doctor will prescribe the same, or else you will need cataract surgery.

In cataract surgery, the affected lens is removed and replaced with an artificial lens to restore your vision. Here they use a high - frequency ultrasound device that breaks up the foggy lens to small pieces, which can gently be removed from eyes with suction. After all the broken pieces of the murky lens are removed, the surgeon inserts a clear intraocular lens in the right location.

Regain your colourful vision with the best eye specialists from DR. TONYS EYE HOSPITAL, ALUVA.

Blog reviewed By: Dr.S Tony Fernandez
Mail Us @ tonyseyehospital@gmail.com
Book an appointment: drtonyseyehospital.com/book-an-appointment