Among the major eye related problemsCataract is the one many people suffer from. It denotes the obscurity of the eye lens that hinders the light from contacting the back part of the human eye. Therefore, an afflicted person can not see clearly. It reduces the opacity of the lens. As a matter of fact, this eye disorder strikes the elderly people more than others. This is among the major causes of blindness in people worldwide. However, it can be cured with prompt treatment.
Cataract types
Cataracts can be of several types. Some of the most common variants are cortical, nuclear, hyper mature, mature. They can also be differentiated according to their location such as anterior cataract and posterior cataract.
Some other important categories of cataract are Immature Senile Cataract, Hypermature Senile Cataract, Mature Senile Cataract, Lamellar cataract
,Zonular cataract, Sutural cataract.
Cataract Causes
Even though the disease is mostly associated with old age but certain habits like smoking and prolonged exposure to the harmful UV rays can accelerate its prospect of happening. The Congenital cataracts are inherited by a child from the parents and they can also be caused by radiation, infection, and even genetic problems. If left untreated, they can have severe consequences like permanent loss of vision. Even the diseases like diabetes, eye injury and drug treatments can bring in cataracts.
The aviators and pilots are more likely to develop this disease as they are more exposed to harmful radiations of the outer space. Apart from that, prolonged exposure to infrared radiation and microwave radiation can also lead to cataract.
Men and women are equally vulnerable to this disorder. Usually, one eye of the afflicted person is more affected than his other eye.
Cataract Symptoms
The most common symptoms of cataract are blurred vision. The symptoms tend to grow with time. A person affected by this disease may feel bright lights as glaring and in dim light he may hardly be able to see anything. The colors may appear tinged with yellow to such a person.
Cataract Treatment
A person affected with Cataract should cover his eyes with sunglasses to escape the UV ray. Refraining from smoking is another good idea. Diet should also be watched as the development of diabetes can lead to cataract. It would be advisable to go for regular eye check ups to find out any early warning signs. The best treatment is removing the afflicted lens by surgery, and putting an artificial one in its place.
Cataract surgery can be of two types, the intra capsular or ICCE, and the extra capsular or ECCE.
In ECCE the cloudy lens is removed but the most part of the lens capsule is left as it is. In some surgeries, sound waves of high frequency are employed to break the lens prior to extraction.
In ICCE, the surgery removes the lens capsule as well as the lens. However, in recent surgeries it is not much performed. In both the surgeries, the cloudy lens is replaced with an artificial lens that remains in the eye till the death.
Usually the surgeons administer local anesthesia to a cataract patient before operation. The person undergoing the operation is usually released on the same date of operation. The present advancements in medical technology enable the patients to opt for a multifocal lens as opposed to the conventional monofocal lenses.
After undergoing a cataract surgery, certain symptoms like posterior capsular opacification, endophthalmitis and retinal detachment can occur to a patient. In certain cases of ICCE, the afflicted person is required to put on special aphakic glasses. Alternatively he can opt for contact lenses but these turn out to be a costlier proposition. They are also cumbersome as they need high maintenance, more so if the person resides in a dusty environment.
Apart from wearing protective lenses, the consumption of anti oxidant vitamins is also recommended by some doctors though some people from the medical fraternity do not support this theory.
