SHARES
“My vision has been poor for a long time due to cataract. However, thanks to the surgery, I feel like I’ve got a brand-new eye!” Lisa, 65, feels safe and satisfied with the result of her surgery.
About Cataract and the Symptoms
We have clear lens inside our eyes, which refract light that enter our eyes. However with cataract, your lens becomes dense and cloudy. Cataract forms when protein in the eye form a clump, blocking the images sent to the retina. At the retina, photoreceptors convert light into electrical signals, then straightaway send the signals through the optic nerve to the brain.
Cataract develops slowly and affects your vision. As a result, you may feel like looking through a foggy windshield. Also, you might also experience trouble seeing at night, increased sensitivity to glare, double vision, and halos surrounding lights. As a matter of interest, did you know that our pet dogs can also have this problem too?
Know The Types of Cataract
Our lens is made of layers, outermost layer being capsule, followed by cortex, and the innermost layer is the nucleus. As cataract can develop in any of those layers, they are named for their site in the lens:
1. Nuclear
This affects the middle of the lens and causes the nucleus to become yellow or brown.
2. Cortical
A wedged shape cloudiness forms at the layer surrounding the nucleus.
3. Posterior Capsular
This is the faster growing form when compared to the two other types, where it affects the back of the lens.
Photo by Christine Lynch from Flickr
Risk Factors
The most common cause is advanced age. However, there are other factors too! For instance, smoking, obesity, diabetes mellitus, heavy alcohol use, high blood pressure, too much sun exposure, or a family history.
Diagnosis
Your ophthalmologist will perform a thorough eye examination before coming to a diagnosis. During the examination, the doctor will check your vision with a visual acuity test, evaluate the lens and measure your eye pressure. They may also check for color vision and glare sensitivity.
Treatment
Treatment recommendation is based on the extent of visual impairment you have. So, talk to your eye doctor (ophthalmologist) to find out what is best for you. If the disease affects your vision minimally, treatment may not be needed. Your physician may also suggest stronger eye glasses or sunglasses with anti-glare coating.
Cataract Surgery
If the cloudy vision is troubling your daily activities such as reading or driving, surgery may be the best option for you. Surgery restores vision loss. It involves removing the affected lens of the eye and replace it with an artificial one. A typical procedure takes about 15 minutes and is painless.
There are usually 2 approaches for surgery: phacoemulsification and extracapsular surgery.
Phacoemulsification uses high frequency ultrasound to break up the lens. It is performed with a smaller incision, so healing is fast and the risk of complication is smaller.
Whereas in extracapsular surgery, instead of breaking up the lens with ultrasound, the surgeon will remove the core with one piece, then the rest with suction. It has a longer incision and is only performed in complicated cases.
The surgery to remove cataract is generally safe and effective. It is usually performed as outpatient procedure, patient can go back home the same day as their surgery.
Photo by mitch huang from Flickr
Conclusion
Summing up, cataract can greatly affect your daily activities and can lead to blindness if left untreated. The surgery to remove cataract is a common procedure and is highly effective.
References:
1. Delgado A. Cataract [Internet]. Healthline Media a Red Ventures Company. 2017. (Available from: https://www.healthline.com/health/cataract; last accessed on 2020 Nov 19)
2. Debrowski A. What is cataract surgery [Internet]? AAV Media, LLC. 2020. (Available from: https://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/cataract-surgery.htm; last accessed on 2020 Nov 19)
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by Chang Xian
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