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What is cataract?

Vision is one of the precious gifts of humankind. It allows us to appreciate the beauty all around us, especially nature and the vivid colors of life. It is critical to maintain a healthy vision, especially as we grow older. A cataract is known to steal vision in the elderly and it happens very quietly over the years. Hence, it is important to know more about it. 

What is Cataract?

Cataract is opacification or clouding of lenses that leads to Blurred or unclear vision. Your eye lens focuses the light on the retina, located at the back of your eyes. The retina consists of photoreceptors that convert the light into signals and transmit it to your brain. The eye lens's clarity, shape, and refractive index are responsible for focusing light on the retina. With aging, a yellow-brown pigment can gradually accumulate within your lens, reducing light transmission through it. Structural changes to eye lenses like increased thickness and compactness also affect optical clarity. All these factors can combine in the development of cataracts in your eyes.1,2 

Causes of Cataract

There are various causes of cataracts in response to physical, chemical, or mechanical damage.

  • Increasing Age
  • Genetic composition
  • Cumulative exposure to UV light
  • Diabetes
  • Smoking
  • Use of Systemic Corticosteroids
  • Malnutrition
  • Trauma to eyes.
  • Congenital Disorders

Different Types of Cataracts

Nuclear Cataract: In this type of cataract, the nucleus or the center of your eye lens gets compressed and more rigid due to new layers of fibers being added over the old ones. It happens with aging and causes yellowing of the eye lens. This can cause a myopic shift to your eyes, and you may no longer need reading glasses. But with time, you may face loss of color discrimination and loss of vision for greater distances. 

Cortical Cataract: The cortex is the outer part of your eye lens that surrounds the nucleus. With aging, discrete opacities can develop in the cortex of your lens that typically causes no symptoms unless they spread to the center, where they interfere with light passing through it.

Posterior Subcapsular: This type of cataract occurs at the backside of your eye lens, where it forms granular opacities. This mainly affects your near vision and causes glares around light at nighttime.

Symptoms of Cataract:3

  • Deterioration in visual acuity
  • Loss of contrast sensitivity
  • Problems with glare
  • Altered color recognition

Is there any solution for Cataract?

Cataracts can be corrected through a surgical procedure. Your doctor will replace the cataract with a lens that is called the intraocular lens (short form is IOL). The lens will be suggested based on your specific needs. The procedure is less complex and you will be able to go home soon after the surgery. 

Types of Intraocular Lenses:

Monofocal Lens: Monofocal Intraocular Lenses are designed to correct either near or far vision, i.e., they have a single focus. 

Multifocal Lenses: Multifocal Intraocular Lenses have multiple focal points and are developed to permit vision for long and near distances simultaneously. Multifocal IOLs provide a greater depth of focus, higher patient satisfaction, and better spectacle independence than mono-focal lenses. They also make intermediate and near visual tasks easier than mono-focal lenses.4

If you are feeling any problems with your vision, you must consult your doctor. Early detection can help in managing the condition better. As though being troublesome, cataract is easily curable through a safe procedure. Each cataract patient has different needs, and it is best to talk with your doctor about which types of lenses will be best suited for you.

Lucky Mehtani is a freelance copywriter who specializes in developing content for websites and creating blogs for Healthcare. You can contact Lucky to provide support with medical content. Click here to connect with Lucky Mehtani on Linkedin. 

References:

  1. Asbell PA, Dualan I, Mindel J, Brocks D, Ahmad M, Epstein S. Age-related cataract. Lancet. 2005 Feb 12-18;365(9459):599-609.
  2. Allen D, Vasavada A. Cataract and surgery for cataract BMJ 2006; 333 :128.
  3. Crabtree HL, Hildreth AJ, O'Connell JE, Phelan PS, Allen D, Gray CS. Measuring visual symptoms in British cataract patients: the cataract symptom scale. Br J Ophthalmol. 1999 May;83(5):519-23.
  4. Cheng H. Causes of cataract. BMJ. 1989;298(6686):1470-1471.

Disclaimer: The matter published in this blog has been developed by independent medical writers from various healthcare backgrounds. It has been validated by the experts' panel of Crixus. Although great care has been taken in compiling and checking the information, the authors, Crixus Communications Pvt Ltd and its servants or agents, and sponsors shall not be responsible or in any way liable for any errors, omissions, or inaccuracies in this blog article whether arising from negligence or otherwise, however or for any consequences arising therefrom. The inclusion and exclusion of any product do not mention that the publisher advocates or rejects its use generally or in any particular field.