Cataracts: Types, Symptoms, Causes and Risk Factors

What are Cataracts? What are the types, symptoms, causes and risk factors in Cataracts? Read full information about cataract disease.

A cataract is a clouding of the lens of your eye, which is normally clear. Most cataracts develop slowly over time, causing symptoms such as blurred vision. Cataracts can be surgically removed through an outpatient procedure that restores vision in almost everyone.

What are Cataracts?

What is a Cataract?

Cataracts develop when the lens in your eye, which is normally clear, becomes cloudy.

For your eye to see, light passes through a clear lens. The lens is behind your iris (the colored part of your eye). The lens focuses the light so that your brain and eye work together to process the information in a picture.

When a clouding of the lens of a cataract occurs, your eye is unable to focus light as well. This causes blurred vision or other vision loss (difficulty in seeing). Your vision changes depending on the location and size of the cataract.

What is The Cause of Cataracts?

What is The Cause of Cataracts?

The lens of your eye is mostly water and protein. As proteins break down over time, they move around in your eyes. These dull proteins can make your lens cloudy, so it is difficult to see clearly. This is typical – though unpleasant – part of aging.

Certain things can accelerate cataract formation, such as:

• Diabetes.
• Radiation treatment to your upper body.
• Phenothiazine medications such as chlorpromazine (Thorazine®), are used to treat a variety of conditions such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
• Steroids, common medications to treat conditions such as arthritis and lupus.
• Cataract eye surgery or eye injury.
• Spending a lot of time in the sun without eye protection, such as sunglasses.

What Are The Symptoms of Caratact?

Cataracts are a normal part of the aging process of the eye. Eventually, they can cause:

• Blurred, hazy, cloudy, or filmy vision.
• Double vision.
• Difficulty seeing at night (poor night vision).
• Glare (seeing a halo around lights), especially when you drive at night with the headlights on.
• Sensitivity to strong sunlight, lamps, or headlights.
• Prescription changes in glasses, including sudden nearsightedness.
• Bright light is needed to read.
• Change in the way you see colors.

How is Cataract Treated?

If your Cataract symptoms are mild, you may need a new prescription for glasses or contacts. Cataracts usually get worse over time, however. Eventually, your doctor will recommend surgery to remove the cataract.

What are the Different Types of Cataract Surgery?

There are two types of procedures to remove cataracts:

1. Phacoemulsification Cataract Surgery
   Phacoemulsification is the most common procedure for cataracts. Your ophthalmologist makes a small opening in the eye to access the clouded lens. Using high-frequency sound waves (ultrasound) or a laser, your ophthalmologist breaks the lens into pieces. Then the doctor removes pieces of the lens from your eye and inserts a new plastic lens.
   
   
2. Extracapsular Cataract Surgery
   Your doctor may recommend this procedure if phacoemulsification techniques are not a good option for you. For example, an advanced cataract may be too dense to be easily distinguished.
   
   
3. In Extracapsular Cataract Surgery
   Your ophthalmologist makes a large opening in the eye. Instead of breaking the lens and then removing it, your doctor removes the lens in one piece. Then the surgeon inserts the manufactured lens.

Risk Factors For Cataract

Risk Factors Associated with Cataract Include:

1. Older Age
2. Diabetes
3. Smoking
4. High blood pressure
5. Heavy Drinking
6. Obesity
7. Family history of cataract
8. Previous eye injuries
9. Exposure to radiation from X-rays and cancer treatments
10. Exposure to sunlight

Cataract Prevention

To reduce the risk of developing cataracts:

1. Protect your eyes from UVB rays by wearing sunglasses outside
2. Get regular eye exams
3. Stop smoking
4. Eat fruits and vegetables that contain antioxidants
5. Maintain a healthy weight
6. Keep diabetes and other medical conditions under control