Cataract
- Thursday, November 18, 2021
Cataract
Having basic information about Cataract on hand before the appointment with the Ophthalmologist will help you have a productive conversation with him, understand your options and quickly make a decision. Here you will find the ABCs of Cataract.
What is a Cataract?
When the external source of light enters through the cornea in our eyes, passing through the natural lens and finally focusing on the retina, you will have a clear vision. And when the natural lens in the eyes becomes cloudy, the individual will have blurred or fuzzy vision. This condition is a progressive disease, which cannot be corrected with medications. Surgery is the only way a cataract patient can restore clear vision.
What are the causes of Cataract?
Several factors could lead to Cataract:
- A consequence of ageing when the proteins in the natural lens in the eyes degenerate over time
- Chronic diseases like diabetes, kidney diseases, or an eye injury
- Infection or inflammation inside the eye
- Habits like smoking
- Side effects from prolonged use of some types of medication
- Due to genetic or metabolic defect in children
What are the symptoms of Cataract?
Cataract imposes a lot of acute and long-term symptoms that you need to be aware of. Some of the most common symptoms of this disease include:
- Cloudy or blurred vision
- Poor eyesight at night
- Faded appearance of the colours around
- Having difficulty reading in dim light
- Issues of witnessing double images
- Coloured halos
How can Cataract be treated?
During cataract surgery, the Ophthalmologist will replace the cloudy natural lens in the patient’s eye with an artificial intraocular lens (IOL). The surgery corrects the focus of the light onto the retina and allows the patient to have a crystal clear vision instead of struggling with cloudy and fuzzy vision. In most cases, the new lens restores the complete vision of the patient. However, some patients need glasses to read or drive.
As for the type of lenses that are used, they include two options:
- Monofocal lens – helps correct the distant vision
- Multifocal lens – helps correct distance, intermediate, and near vision in the patient
Aside from these, there are few distinctive types of lenses that the surgeons use to replace the affected natural lens. They are:
- Intra Ocular Lens (IOL)
- Toric Monofocal Lens
- Aspheric Lens
- Multifocal Toric Lens
What are the types of Cataract surgeries?
The type of cataract surgery depends on the degree of damage. Your consulting Ophthalmologist will first assess the condition, learn about a brief rundown of your lifestyle and medical history before suggesting the best surgery for your Cataract. That aside, there are two primary types of surgeries to correct the condition of Cataract:
Small Incision Cataract Surgery (SICS)
This type of surgery is prescribed for patients whose extent of the Cataract has gone out of hand and has become excessively hard. In this procedure, the Cataract is removed manually by the surgeon by making an incision.
Phacoemulsification
Phacoemulsification is one of the cutting-edge techniques wherein a tiny instrument is inserted through a small incision. Using the instrument, ultrasound vibrations are pulsated to break down the Cataract into smaller pieces and suctioned out of the eyes. This is a minimally invasive procedure that doesn’t involve permanent risks. The recovery period is also significantly less in this surgery.