Eye Conditions

Cataracts

If you have been diagnosed as having a cataract, there is no need to worry. Cataracts are not unusual. They frequently occur as part of the eye's ageing process.

What are cataracts?
The lens of the human eye works rather like the lens of a camera. Toward the front of the eye, the lens focuses light onto the retina at the back of the eye. Light passes through it to produce a sharp image on the retina. When the lens of the eye becomes cloudy or opaque, light is unable to pass through and your vision is blurred. This condition is known as a cataract. There are many misconceptions about cataracts. For instance, a cataract is not a film or growth visible on the outside of the eye. It is not caused from the over-use of the eyes, and using the eye does not make it worse.
Cataracts usually develop over a period of a few months. They are caused by the deterioration of the normal protein structure within the lens of the eye as a person ages. This makes the lens cloudy. Most people with cataracts are healthy and have no other eye disease. However, cataract formation can also follow eye injuries, glaucoma, general medical conditions such as diabetes, the taking of certain drugs, or radiation damage. Cataracts can occur as early as age 40. Cataracts occur mainly in people over the age of 60 years. They are the leading cause of vision loss among older adults, and they may affect up to 60% of adults over the age of 65 years. Occasionally they may occur as a congenital defect in infants or children.

Symptoms
Depending on the size and location of the cloudy areas in a lens, you may not even be aware a cataract is developing. As the cataract progresses, you may be aware of one or all of the following symptoms:Decreased vision at night and in other situations with poor lightingIncreased sensitivity to glare or bright sunlightImpaired depth perceptionColour distortion (some people describe this phenomenon as colours appearing washed out)Frequent changes to the prescription in your glassesBetter near vision for a whileDouble vision - often occurs even with one eye closed
As the cataract develops you will find stronger glasses no longer improve your sight. This can lead to an imbalance between the two eyes, which may cause headaches.

Causes
There are four different types of cataracts, each with different causes:Age-related cataract: this is by far the most common type of cataractCongenital cataract: some babies are born with cataracts or develop them in childhoodSecondary cataract: cataracts are more likely to develop in people who have other health problems such as diabetes, or secondary to the use of some medicationsTraumatic cataract: a cataract from an eye injury may occur years later

Diagnosis
A regular eye examination is all that is needed to detect a cataract. The optometrist will check your vision and prescription. He or she will then put drops in your eyes to enlarge your pupils. This allows the optometrist to see inside your eyes. An ophthalmoscope is used to look inside, checking your lenses for cloudiness and checking for other problems inside of your eyes.

Treatment
A change in your glasses may be treatment enough for early cataracts. However, surgery is often the only effective treatment for more advanced cataracts.

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