Cataract is a disease that can be age-related or congenital. The congenital disease is called congenital cataract and the age-related type is called senile cataract. It is a disease that occurs with the appearance of blurred parts in the lens inside the eye, decreased transparency, brown and yellow colors, and loss of vision. It is a disease that can be treated with surgical intervention.
Under normal conditions, the lens, which is transparent, transmits light to the back of the eye and ensures clear vision. However, if a part of the lens becomes cloudy, light cannot penetrate sufficiently and vision is adversely affected. If left untreated, the blurriness increases in size. Loss of vision occurs with increasing blurriness. The daily life of the person is negatively affected. Approximately 90 percent is an age-related disease.
What are the Symptoms of Cataract?
Cataract symptoms are mostly seen due to old age. Symptoms may not be seen in the initial stages. Blurring of the lens of the eye may gradually increase in the later stages and the person may notice this situation himself/herself. Symptoms often include unclear, blurred, smoky and hazy vision.
Some patients may also have spots, and vision may be even more difficult when the light is intense or low. In the disease, colors may be pale and less sharp. People may have difficulty reading newspapers and books, watching television and driving.
One of the rare conditions is double vision. There may also be a ring around the strong lights emitted by vehicle headlights and street lamps.
In addition to these, different symptoms that may occur are as follows:
- Not being able to see near and far clearly
- Sensitivity to light and glare
- Visual impairment in daylight
- Blurring of the eye
- Difficulty in perception of colors and fading
- Eye strain and headache
- Change in spectacle number
- Reduced need for glasses
- Clearer near vision without glasses
- Difficulty seeing at night
- Decreased sense of depth
Causes of Cataract
Chemical differentiation and proteolytic decomposition occur in the crystalline proteins that make up the lens of the eye located behind the colored part of the eye called the iris. In such cases, protein clusters form in strong molecular effects and blurred vision may occur.
The clumps may increase over time and form a curtain that prevents light from reaching the lens in the eye, reducing transparency. Spotting may occur inside the eye. As a result of clusters, light is prevented from spreading and the image cannot reach the retina.
Among thecauses of cataracts ; family history of disease, different health problems and disease conditions, hereditary diseases, previous eye operations, prolonged exposure of the eye to sunlight and daylight, diabetes, long-term use of steroid medications, traumas and eye diseases.
Cataract Treatment
People who see an ophthalmologist in case of complaints are first listened to the history of the disease and the person is examined with an ophthalmoscope. Ophthalmoscope is the name given to the device that allows the doctor to see and examine the inside of the eye in detail with a strong light.
With the use of this device, the condition of the damage to the lens of the eye is determined. In some cases, the person may not have any complaints. However, this can be determined in people who have an ordinary eye examination. The diagnosis of the disease is determined by this method and the cataract treatment process is started.
The only method in the treatment of the disease is surgery. This is determined according to the person's level of vision and complaints. However, if the disease is diagnosed early in the early stages, the use of glasses and the elimination of complaints can be done temporarily. In advanced cases, the only method is surgical intervention.
Cataract Surgery
Cataract surgery is performed quickly and easily with today's technology. Local anesthesia is usually given around the patient's eye. A small incision of about 2-3 mm and using the phacoemulsification technique, the clouded lens is broken and removed with ultrasonic vibration. Afterwards, a high quality artificial monofocal or multifocal lens is inserted into the eye and the eye is improved.
Since the lens implanted in the operations also benefits different vision losses, people can see near and far comfortably without using glasses. The surgical intervention takes approximately 20 or 25 minutes.
After the operation, the person is recommended eye drops to use. These drops are used at intervals recommended by the doctor and usually for about 3-4 weeks. The patient is discharged after the operation and does not need to stay in the hospital.
For people who have this problem in both eyes, operations are performed at the date intervals determined and recommended by the doctor. Both eyes cannot be intervened at the same time. Although some limitations are imposed on the person after the surgery, people can use their eyes after the first day.
How to Prevent Cataract?
The lens located at the back of the iris clarifies the incoming light and enables the vision process to take place. With advancing age, the lens in the eye may thicken and its flexibility may decrease. With decreased flexibility, people may have difficulty seeing near and far.
As a result of the deterioration of the tissues in the lens and protein accumulation, staining may occur in the lens, while the spread of light is prevented. In this case, the image cannot travel to the retina and conditions such as visual impairment or complete loss of vision may occur.
It is not possible to be 100% protected from the disease and prevent this condition. However, the conditions that can reduce the occurrence of the disease and the possibility of catching it can be listed as follows:
- Protecting the eye against daylight and not looking at the sun for a long time
- Not smoking
- Eating healthy and exercising regularly
- Being careful about diabetes
- Diabetics should keep this condition under control