WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT CATARACTS
Christiane Tourtet B.A.
July 03, 2007
The majority of cataracts is related to aging and is quite common in older people. By age 80, more than half of the American population, either have a cataract or have undergone cataract surgery. Cataract, simply put, is a clouding of the lens in the eye, which affects vision.
Cataracts can occur in one eye or both eyes, but cannot spread from one eye to the other. The clear part of the eye that helps to focus an image, or light, on the retina is called the lens. The lens is made mostly of water and protein, and the protein is arranged with precision, in a way that keeps the lens clear and permits the light to pass through. The retina is at the back of the eye and is a light-sensitive tissue. In an eye that is normal, light goes through the lens which is transparent to the retina. Once the light reaches the retina, it is changed into nerve signals that are forwarded to the brain.
In order for the retina to receive a sharp image, the lens must be clear. If, for instance,
the lens is cloudy due to cataract, whatever image one´s will see will be blurred. Besides cataracts related to aging, there are other types of cataracts, such as traumatic cataract, which can develop, sometimes years later after an eye injury, congenital cataracts, which some babies are born with or that develop during childhood, many times in both eyes.
If these cataracts are small, they might not affect vision, however if they do, then the lenses may have to be removed. There are also what is called secondary cataract, which are cataracts that can form after eye surgery for other eye problem such as glaucoma.
People with diabetes can also develop cataracts, and sometimes cataracts can develop in people using steroid.
Even though the risk of getting cataract increases as we get older, there are other risk factors for cataract such as smoking, drinking alcohol, prolonged exposure to sunlight.
Keep in mind that you do not have to be a senior citizen to get age related cataracts. People can have this type of cataracts in their 40´s and 50´s, but usually during middle age, the majority of cataracts are small and do not affect vision. It is after the age of 60 that usually most cataracts rob vision.
It would be wise to wear sunglasses, and a hat with a brim, in order to block ultraviolet
sunlight as it may help delay cataract. Many researchers believe that a good nutrition such as eating green leafy vegetables, fruits, and other foods containing antioxidants, can help reduce the risk of age-related cataract. At age 60 or older, it is quite important to have a comprehensive dilated eye exam at least every two years, so that an eye care professional can check also for signs of other types of eye disorders, such as glaucoma, macular degeneration .Early detection and treatment for many eye diseases may save the sight or many people.
The most commons symptoms of a cataract usually are cloudy or blurry vision, poor night vision, fading of colors, double vision or mutiple images in one eye, halo, around lights. Lamps, sunlight, headlights, glare, may appear too bright. These symptoms however can also be signs of other eye problems. So, it is best, when experiencing, some of these symptoms to check with an eye care professional. Researchers suspect that besides several other causes of cataract, such as diabetes, smoking, that the protein in the lens, changes, due to the wear and tear that occur over the years.
The majority of age- related cataract, develop from protein clumps, which cloud the lens , diminishes the light that reaches the retina, and may become severe enough to cause blurred vision. Cataracts have a tendency to "grow" slowly, and gradually vision gets worse. Also, the clear lens usually changes slowly to a brownish/yellowish color, which may make the vision acquire a brownish shade. As the tinting increases, it may be more difficult to perform routine activities, such as reading. However this tinting does not affect the clarity of the image transmitted to the retina. In case of advanced lens discoloration, a person may identify purples and blues, as black.
Cataract is usually detected through what is called a comprehensive eye exam, which include a visual acuity test, using a eye chart test to measure how well a person can see at various distances, a dilated eye exam, using drops put in eyes to widen the pupils, which permit the eye care professional, to examine with a special magnifying lens, the optic nerve and retina for signs of damage and or other eye problems.
After this exam the close- up vision may stay blurred for several hours. Tonometry, which is an instrument measuring the pressure inside the eyes, is also used, and numbing drops may be applied in the eyes for this test. There may be also other tests that an eye care professional might do to find out more about the health and structure of eyes.
In its early states, cataract may be improved with new glasses, anti-glare sunglasses, magnifying glasses, brighter lighting. However, if these do not help, then surgery
would be an effective treatment , involving the removal of the cloudy lens and replacing it with an artificial lens. Only if cataract interferes with everyday activities such as driving, reading, watching TV, it would need to be removed. It is a decision to be taken by the patient and the eye care professional as they are benefits and risks associated with surgery .Usually in most cases, delaying cataract surgery, will not make the surgery more difficult or cause long-term damage to the eye.
However, sometimes a cataract will have to be removed, even if it does not cause any vision problem, in the event that it prevents examination or treatment of other eye problems such as retinopathy, or age-related macular degeneration.
If a surgery is to be done, an eye care professional may make a referral to a specialist to remove the cataract. If cataracts are in both eyes, surgery will have to be performed, on each eye separately, usually four to eight weeks apart.
There are two types of surgery for cataract and a doctor can explain the differences in order to determine which one is best suited for a patient. Most cataract surgery nowadays, is done by phacoemulsion, or phaco, also called "small incision cataract surgery". An incision is made on the dome-shape surface that covers the front of the eye,
which is the side of the cornea. The doctor then inserts a tiny probe into the eye, which emits ultrasound waves that soften and break up the lens, so that it can be removed by suction.
The other type of surgery is called Extracapsular , and the doctor makes a long incision located on the side of the cornea to remove the cloudy core of the lens in one piece. The remaining of the lens is then removed by suction.
Once all natural lens has been removed, it is usually replaced by an artificial lens, called intraocular lens (IOL) which is a clear, plastic lens, that does not need any care and becomes a permanent part of the eye. Light is clearly focused by the intraocular lens (IOL), onto the retina, improving vision. The new lens cannot be felt or seen. Some people, however, cannot have an IOL, due to other eye disease or having problems during surgery. For these people a soft contact lens or glasses that provide high level of magnification may be suggested.
Cataract surgery, as with any other surgery, has risks, such as infection, bleeding, and retinal detachment, especially, for people who have high myopia (nearsighteness). Sudden increase in flashes, or floaters , which are little specks or "cobwebs" that seem to float about in the visual field, are an indication of possible retinal detachment. Retinal detachment causes no pain, but is a medical emergency that should be examined by an eye surgeon as soon a possible, and it may be necessary to go immediately to a medical emergency room. Permanent vision loss can often be prevented by early treatment of retinal detachment, but some vision may be lost even with early treatment.
In the United States, cataract removal is one of the most common surgeries performed, which has about 90 percent of cases of people who have improved vision after the operation.
A week or two prior to the operation, a doctor will perform some tests, which will include measuring the size and shape of the eye, and the curve of the cornea. This will help him in choosing the right type of IOL. A patient may be asked not to eat or drink anything
12 hours prior to the surgery.
At the eye clinic or hospital, drops will be put in the eye to dilate the pupil, and the area around the eye will be washed and cleansed. The surgery is usually almost painless, and lasts approximately less than an hour. While some people may need to be put to sleep for a short time, many others prefer to stay awake during the operation, and are given an anesthetic to numb the nerves around and in the eye.
After the surgery, a patch is usually placed over the eye, the patient asked to rest for a while, as a medical team watch for any complications, such as bleeding. Most people can go home after the surgery, but need someone to drive them home.
After the surgery, some fluid discharge is quite common, as well as mild discomfort and itching. The eye may be sensitive to touch and light, and the doctor might suggest a treatment. The mild discomfort should disappear in about one or two days. The doctor may ask a patient to use eye drops for a few days after surgery, to speed up healing and decrease the risk of infection .It will be necessary to wear an eye shield or eyeglasses, for the protection of the eye. While back at home, it is best to try not to bend from the waist to pick up things on the floor, and to not lift anything heavy. However, a person can walk, climb stairs, and even do light household chores.
Problems can develop after surgery, but it is rare. These problems can include, inflammation, double vision, loss of vision, high or low eye pressure .But with prompt medical attention, usually they can be treated successfully. Occasionally, the eye tissue that encloses the IOL can become cloudy and blur the vision. This is what is called an after-cataract .this problem can develop months or even years after the cataract operation.
This after-cataract is usually treated with a laser. It is an outpatient procedure, called a YAG laser capsulotomy. It usually does not result in other eye problems or eye pressure, and is painless. However, as a precaution, a doctor may give eye drops before and after the procedure to lower eye pressure.
Usually a patient can return fairly quickly to many daily activities, but the vision may be blurry, as it takes time for the healing eye to adjust to focus properly with the other eye. It may be necessary to wear new glasses or contact lenses. If some sight has been lost due to cataract or cataract operation, it is important to ask the eye care professional, about low vision devices and services, and for a referral to a specialist in low vision. Some additional information about low vision programs and services can be obtained, by contacting:
American Foundation for the Blind
http://www.afb.org
National Association for Visually Handicapped
http://www.navh.org
Lighthouse International
http://www.lighthouse.org
Research is being done by the National Eye Institute, such as conducting and supporting numerous studies focusing on the factors associated with the occurrence of age-related cataract. These studies include vitamins supplements, which have shown varying results, in terms of delaying the progression of cataract, sunlight exposure and its effects, which could be associated with an increase of cataract, and genetic studies which could prove to be quite promising for better understanding the development of cataract.
Reference:
National Eye Institute, U.S. National Institutes of Health.
© 2007 Christiane Tourtet, all rights reserved.
Cataracts can occur in one eye or both eyes, but cannot spread from one eye to the other. The clear part of the eye that helps to focus an image, or light, on the retina is called the lens. The lens is made mostly of water and protein, and the protein is arranged with precision, in a way that keeps the lens clear and permits the light to pass through. The retina is at the back of the eye and is a light-sensitive tissue. In an eye that is normal, light goes through the lens which is transparent to the retina. Once the light reaches the retina, it is changed into nerve signals that are forwarded to the brain.
In order for the retina to receive a sharp image, the lens must be clear. If, for instance,
the lens is cloudy due to cataract, whatever image one´s will see will be blurred. Besides cataracts related to aging, there are other types of cataracts, such as traumatic cataract, which can develop, sometimes years later after an eye injury, congenital cataracts, which some babies are born with or that develop during childhood, many times in both eyes.
If these cataracts are small, they might not affect vision, however if they do, then the lenses may have to be removed. There are also what is called secondary cataract, which are cataracts that can form after eye surgery for other eye problem such as glaucoma.
People with diabetes can also develop cataracts, and sometimes cataracts can develop in people using steroid.
Even though the risk of getting cataract increases as we get older, there are other risk factors for cataract such as smoking, drinking alcohol, prolonged exposure to sunlight.
Keep in mind that you do not have to be a senior citizen to get age related cataracts. People can have this type of cataracts in their 40´s and 50´s, but usually during middle age, the majority of cataracts are small and do not affect vision. It is after the age of 60 that usually most cataracts rob vision.
It would be wise to wear sunglasses, and a hat with a brim, in order to block ultraviolet
sunlight as it may help delay cataract. Many researchers believe that a good nutrition such as eating green leafy vegetables, fruits, and other foods containing antioxidants, can help reduce the risk of age-related cataract. At age 60 or older, it is quite important to have a comprehensive dilated eye exam at least every two years, so that an eye care professional can check also for signs of other types of eye disorders, such as glaucoma, macular degeneration .Early detection and treatment for many eye diseases may save the sight or many people.
The most commons symptoms of a cataract usually are cloudy or blurry vision, poor night vision, fading of colors, double vision or mutiple images in one eye, halo, around lights. Lamps, sunlight, headlights, glare, may appear too bright. These symptoms however can also be signs of other eye problems. So, it is best, when experiencing, some of these symptoms to check with an eye care professional. Researchers suspect that besides several other causes of cataract, such as diabetes, smoking, that the protein in the lens, changes, due to the wear and tear that occur over the years.
The majority of age- related cataract, develop from protein clumps, which cloud the lens , diminishes the light that reaches the retina, and may become severe enough to cause blurred vision. Cataracts have a tendency to "grow" slowly, and gradually vision gets worse. Also, the clear lens usually changes slowly to a brownish/yellowish color, which may make the vision acquire a brownish shade. As the tinting increases, it may be more difficult to perform routine activities, such as reading. However this tinting does not affect the clarity of the image transmitted to the retina. In case of advanced lens discoloration, a person may identify purples and blues, as black.
Cataract is usually detected through what is called a comprehensive eye exam, which include a visual acuity test, using a eye chart test to measure how well a person can see at various distances, a dilated eye exam, using drops put in eyes to widen the pupils, which permit the eye care professional, to examine with a special magnifying lens, the optic nerve and retina for signs of damage and or other eye problems.
After this exam the close- up vision may stay blurred for several hours. Tonometry, which is an instrument measuring the pressure inside the eyes, is also used, and numbing drops may be applied in the eyes for this test. There may be also other tests that an eye care professional might do to find out more about the health and structure of eyes.
In its early states, cataract may be improved with new glasses, anti-glare sunglasses, magnifying glasses, brighter lighting. However, if these do not help, then surgery
would be an effective treatment , involving the removal of the cloudy lens and replacing it with an artificial lens. Only if cataract interferes with everyday activities such as driving, reading, watching TV, it would need to be removed. It is a decision to be taken by the patient and the eye care professional as they are benefits and risks associated with surgery .Usually in most cases, delaying cataract surgery, will not make the surgery more difficult or cause long-term damage to the eye.
However, sometimes a cataract will have to be removed, even if it does not cause any vision problem, in the event that it prevents examination or treatment of other eye problems such as retinopathy, or age-related macular degeneration.
If a surgery is to be done, an eye care professional may make a referral to a specialist to remove the cataract. If cataracts are in both eyes, surgery will have to be performed, on each eye separately, usually four to eight weeks apart.
There are two types of surgery for cataract and a doctor can explain the differences in order to determine which one is best suited for a patient. Most cataract surgery nowadays, is done by phacoemulsion, or phaco, also called "small incision cataract surgery". An incision is made on the dome-shape surface that covers the front of the eye,
which is the side of the cornea. The doctor then inserts a tiny probe into the eye, which emits ultrasound waves that soften and break up the lens, so that it can be removed by suction.
The other type of surgery is called Extracapsular , and the doctor makes a long incision located on the side of the cornea to remove the cloudy core of the lens in one piece. The remaining of the lens is then removed by suction.
Once all natural lens has been removed, it is usually replaced by an artificial lens, called intraocular lens (IOL) which is a clear, plastic lens, that does not need any care and becomes a permanent part of the eye. Light is clearly focused by the intraocular lens (IOL), onto the retina, improving vision. The new lens cannot be felt or seen. Some people, however, cannot have an IOL, due to other eye disease or having problems during surgery. For these people a soft contact lens or glasses that provide high level of magnification may be suggested.
Cataract surgery, as with any other surgery, has risks, such as infection, bleeding, and retinal detachment, especially, for people who have high myopia (nearsighteness). Sudden increase in flashes, or floaters , which are little specks or "cobwebs" that seem to float about in the visual field, are an indication of possible retinal detachment. Retinal detachment causes no pain, but is a medical emergency that should be examined by an eye surgeon as soon a possible, and it may be necessary to go immediately to a medical emergency room. Permanent vision loss can often be prevented by early treatment of retinal detachment, but some vision may be lost even with early treatment.
In the United States, cataract removal is one of the most common surgeries performed, which has about 90 percent of cases of people who have improved vision after the operation.
A week or two prior to the operation, a doctor will perform some tests, which will include measuring the size and shape of the eye, and the curve of the cornea. This will help him in choosing the right type of IOL. A patient may be asked not to eat or drink anything
12 hours prior to the surgery.
At the eye clinic or hospital, drops will be put in the eye to dilate the pupil, and the area around the eye will be washed and cleansed. The surgery is usually almost painless, and lasts approximately less than an hour. While some people may need to be put to sleep for a short time, many others prefer to stay awake during the operation, and are given an anesthetic to numb the nerves around and in the eye.
After the surgery, a patch is usually placed over the eye, the patient asked to rest for a while, as a medical team watch for any complications, such as bleeding. Most people can go home after the surgery, but need someone to drive them home.
After the surgery, some fluid discharge is quite common, as well as mild discomfort and itching. The eye may be sensitive to touch and light, and the doctor might suggest a treatment. The mild discomfort should disappear in about one or two days. The doctor may ask a patient to use eye drops for a few days after surgery, to speed up healing and decrease the risk of infection .It will be necessary to wear an eye shield or eyeglasses, for the protection of the eye. While back at home, it is best to try not to bend from the waist to pick up things on the floor, and to not lift anything heavy. However, a person can walk, climb stairs, and even do light household chores.
Problems can develop after surgery, but it is rare. These problems can include, inflammation, double vision, loss of vision, high or low eye pressure .But with prompt medical attention, usually they can be treated successfully. Occasionally, the eye tissue that encloses the IOL can become cloudy and blur the vision. This is what is called an after-cataract .this problem can develop months or even years after the cataract operation.
This after-cataract is usually treated with a laser. It is an outpatient procedure, called a YAG laser capsulotomy. It usually does not result in other eye problems or eye pressure, and is painless. However, as a precaution, a doctor may give eye drops before and after the procedure to lower eye pressure.
Usually a patient can return fairly quickly to many daily activities, but the vision may be blurry, as it takes time for the healing eye to adjust to focus properly with the other eye. It may be necessary to wear new glasses or contact lenses. If some sight has been lost due to cataract or cataract operation, it is important to ask the eye care professional, about low vision devices and services, and for a referral to a specialist in low vision. Some additional information about low vision programs and services can be obtained, by contacting:
American Foundation for the Blind
http://www.afb.org
National Association for Visually Handicapped
http://www.navh.org
Lighthouse International
http://www.lighthouse.org
Research is being done by the National Eye Institute, such as conducting and supporting numerous studies focusing on the factors associated with the occurrence of age-related cataract. These studies include vitamins supplements, which have shown varying results, in terms of delaying the progression of cataract, sunlight exposure and its effects, which could be associated with an increase of cataract, and genetic studies which could prove to be quite promising for better understanding the development of cataract.
Reference:
National Eye Institute, U.S. National Institutes of Health.
© 2007 Christiane Tourtet, all rights reserved.
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