Causes of Cataracts
Cataracts develop from a variety of reasons, including long-term ultraviolet exposure, exposure to radiation, secondary effects of diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and advanced age; they are usually a result of denaturation of lens proteins. Genetic factors are often a cause of congenital cataracts and positive family history may also play a role in predisposing someone to cataracts at an earlier age, a phenomenon of "anticipation" in pre-senile cataracts. Cataracts may also be produced by eye injury or physical trauma.
Other factors that may lead to development of cataracts at an earlier age include excessive ultraviolet-light exposure, diabetes, smoking, or the use of certain medications, such as oral, topical, or inhaled steroids. Other medications that are more weakly associated with cataracts include the long-term use of statins and phenothiazines.
Symptoms of Cataracts
A cataract usually develops slowly and causes no pain. At first, the cloudiness may affect only a small part of the lens (a clear, elliptical structure near the front of each eye) and you may be unaware of any vision loss. Over time, however, as the cataract grows larger, it clouds more of your lens and distorts the light passing through the lens. Eventually, this impairs your vision because of overall blur or image distortion.
Cataracts are typically detected through a medical eye examination. The usual test for visual acuity (the letter eye chart) may not reflect the true nature of visual loss. Other tests that measure glare sensitivity, contrast sensitivity, night vision, color vision, and side or central vision help to nail down the diagnosis.
Long arms, legs, fingers, and toes. A person’s arm span (the distance from the fingertips of one hand to the fingertips of the other with the arms stretched out from the sides) may be greater than his or her height.
Treatment of Cataracts
Cataract operations
In the past, eye specialists often waited until the cataract became “ripe” and your vision was very poor before suggesting you had the cataract removed.
Before the operation
Before the operation, you and your eye will be carefully checked to decide the details of the operation. This may require a separate visit before your surgery. This is called a pre-operative assessment.
An implanted IOL is usually the best replacement. Because the implant is placed in or near the original position of the removed natural lens, vision is restored with good peripheral vision and depth perception yet with minimal magnification and distortion.
Surgery
Surgical removal of your cataract is the only way to restore or maintain your vision. This involves replacing your cloudy lens with an artificial one. The most common technique is called phacoemulsification. This is typically performed under local anaesthetic. This completely blocks the feeling from the eye area and you will stay awake during the operation. You will normally be allowed home the same day. For more information, see Related topics.
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