CATARACTS

OVERVIEW

A cataract is a cloudy spot in the eye’s lens that impairs vision and causes the normally clear lens of the eye to become opaque. Patients who have cataracts may compare viewing through cloudy lenses to viewing through a frosty or fogged-up window. For a more detailed overview of cataracts, type “general medicine doctor near me” in Google search box.

When one’s eyesight is impaired by cataracts, it might be more difficult to read, drive a car (especially at night), or pay attention to someone’s facial expression, or recognise someone. Cataracts can harm one or both eyes and often develop slowly. The fundamental process includes protein or yellow-brown pigment clumps building up in the lens, which decreases light transmission to the retina at the rear of the eye.

1. NUCLEAR CATARACTS: These are cataracts that impair the centre of the lens. A nuclear cataract may initially result in increased near-sightedness or even a brief improvement in your ability to read. But as time passes, the lens progressively becomes more yellow in density, further obstructing your eyesight. With time, as the cataract progresses, the lens may even become brown, making it increasingly difficult to discern between different colour tones.
2. CORTICAL CATARACTS: These are lens edges that are impacted by cataracts. The first signs of a cortical cataract are white, wedge-shaped opacities or streaks on the cortex’s periphery of the lens. The streaks gradually reach the centre of the lens and block light from entering the centre as it steadily advances.
3. POSTERIOR SUBCAPSULAR CATARACTS: These are where the rear of the lens is affected by cataracts. A tiny, opaque spot, which is the beginning of a posterior subcapsular cataract, usually develops towards the back of the lens. This can sometimes make it difficult to see things clearly, and can also lead to glare and haloes around lights at night. These cataracts tend to develop more quickly than other types of cataracts.
4. CONGENITAL CATARACTS: These are birth defects. Some people either have cataracts from birth or get them as children. These cataracts may be hereditary or linked to an infection or injury within the uterus. Some diseases can cause congenital cataracts. These can be like myotonic dystrophy, galactosemia, neurofibromatosis type 2, or rubella. When this happens, often the cataracts are removed as soon as they are found.

SYMPTOMS

Initially, majority of cataracts do not show any symptoms and have no impact on one’s eyesight. However, cataracts will gradually reduce your eyesight over time. Make sure to get an expert opinion from a general physician early by searching for “general medicine doctor near me” in Google search box. Cataract symptoms and signs include:

• Vision that is clouded, blurred, or dim
• Sensitivity to light and brightness
• Brighter lighting is required for activities like reading.
• Night-time eyesight becoming increasingly difficult 
• Having double vision in just one eye
• Frequent changes in eyeglass or contact lens prescription
• Colour fading or yellowing
• Perceiving “Halos” around lights.

TREATMENT

Initially, you may help manage cataracts by using brighter lighting and eye protection. However, if your low eyesight makes it difficult for you to carry out your typical activities, cataract surgery may be necessary. The good news is that cataract surgery typically yields positive results and poses no risks. 

CAUSES

Most common causes of cataracts is

• Most cataracts are age-related; they develop as a result of your eyes’ natural ageing processes. Over time, lens proteins denature and deteriorate, and conditions like diabetes mellitus and hypertension speed up this process.
• Following an eye injury/trauma: Traumatic cataract is a clouding of the lens and eyes that may happen as a result of a trauma to the eye that disrupts and destroys the lens fibres, either bluntly or penetratingly. The majority of traumatic cataracts result in swollen eye lenses, however the kind and clinical trajectory vary depending on the trauma and the health of the capsular bag.
• Radiation: The onset of cataracts is one of the radiation exposure’s possible long-term consequences. In other words, there is a threshold dosage below which you wouldn’t expect to get cataracts and over which you would. Cataracts are a deterministic outcome of radiation exposure. The cataract’s severity would then worsen as exposure levels rose.
• Following surgery for another eye condition (like glaucoma): Although neither glaucoma nor cataracts are the cause of the other, having one might make the other more likely. For instance, several glaucoma procedures might raise the possibility of acquiring cataracts. In a similar way, cataracts can raise your risk of glaucoma.
• Congenitally present: The processes that guard and maintain the lens are the most typical way that the hereditary component of cataract development is strong. There are some syndromes that might occasionally cause cataracts to appear in childhood or the early years of adulthood.

There are other causes of cataracts such as certain medications, inadequate vitamin C, smoking and alcohol and skin diseases. Whatever the cause, surgery is the only effective therapy for cataracts of any kind.

RISK FACTORS

1. Diabetes
2. Long-term use of corticosteroid medication.
3. Smoking tobacco
4. Extended exposure to the sun
5. Drinking alcohol
6. Obesity
7. High Blood Pressure
8. Previous eye injury
9. Previous eye surgery

PREVENTION

There is no scientific evidence that shows how to prevent cataracts or slow the progression of cataracts. But there are some preventive measures one can take to decrease the risk of cataracts.

1. Regular eye check-up: early detection of cataracts can prevent complications. 
2. Quit smoking: Your healthcare provider can show you a way to get help through medications, counselling and other strategies.
3. Reduce alcohol intake: Drinking too much alcohol can make cataracts more likely.
4. Organize other medical issues: If you have diabetes or another health issue that could increase your risk of cataracts, stick to your treatment plan.
5. Wear sunglasses: The sun’s ultraviolet light may be a factor in the development of cataracts. If you’re going outside, wear sunglasses that block ultraviolet B (UVB) rays.
6. Choose a healthy diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables: You can make sure you’re getting plenty of vitamins and nutrients by including a variety of vibrant fruits and vegetables in your diet. Antioxidants are plentiful in fruits and vegetables, which support eye health.

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