Why is cataract so dangerous and how to get rid of it

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

The likelihood of getting sick is very high, but there is still a cure.

What is cataract

Figuratively speaking, our eye is a camera in which there are three lenses: the cornea, the lens and the vitreous body. If one of these lenses deteriorates and becomes completely or partially opaque, at best you will end up with a very blurry image, with spots and shadows. At worst, you won't see anything in the image.

This is exactly what happens to the main lens of our eye - the crystalline lens. It thickens, becomes cloudy and ceases to transmit light through itself - this is called a cataract. Gradually, the image becomes more and more blurry, and then vision completely disappears.

Why does cataract develop?

Because people are getting old. Lens fibers grow Cataract in Adult Eye throughout life. Therefore, over time, its tissue becomes denser, weight and thickness increase. In addition, the chemical structure of the lens changes, it turns yellow. As a result, the transparency decreases and cataracts develop.

Who can get sick

Cataracts are very common. Every sixth inhabitant of the planet over 40 years old is sick with it.

The speed and degree of development of the disease is influenced by many factors:

• gender: women get sick twice as often as men;
• diabetes;
• smoking;
• hereditary predisposition;
• eye surgery;
• eye injuries;
• prolonged exposure to ultraviolet or infrared rays;
• hypertonic disease;
• long-term treatment with glucocorticosteroids;
• myopia.

When to see a doctor

Cataracts in their early manifestations can be very diverse. It all depends on the specific form of the disease and the presence of concomitant eye diseases. In some cases, the far vision deteriorates in the beginning, in others - the near. If, at the same time, a person has age-related farsightedness, he may even feel a temporary improvement - the cataract, as it were, acts as glasses and compensates for the violation.

Sometimes with cataracts, dark spots appear in the field of view, glare and halos around the light source, it is painful to look at it. An important sign may be a rapid deterioration in vision in a person with myopia, if it was previously stable.

But there is no specific symptom that would unequivocally indicate cataract in the early stages of development.

Therefore, it is necessary to go to the doctor for any noticeable change in vision - both with its deterioration and with improvement.

The earlier treatment is started, the more chances of success will be.

What the doctor will do

To make a diagnosis, doctors examine the lens through a special microscope. This way they can see the slightest change in transparency.

But this is not the only study that a patient with suspected cataract will undergo. The doctor should find out how much the vision has been affected, whether there are other eye diseases and what is the general condition of the body. If necessary, the patient can be referred for consultation to a therapist or a narrow specialist.

All this will help determine further treatment tactics.

How are cataracts treated?

The only way to eliminate cataracts and restore vision is surgery. During it, doctors change the clouded lens to an artificial one. Moreover, this can be done free of charge under the compulsory medical insurance program.

No drug can cure cataracts, or even stop its development.

As scientists have found, taking vitamins and minerals is not even able to reduce the rate of development of the disease. In some cases, it is possible to achieve improved vision with glasses, but this is only a temporary measure.

Who is not allowed to have surgery

People with medical conditions for which surgery is unsafe. This happens, for example, after a myocardial infarction. But as soon as a person's condition improves, they may well undergo this operation.

What will happen before the operation

Additional examinations are awaiting the patient. They are needed to clarify the tactics of the operation and the selection of an artificial lens.

Unlike a natural lens, an artificial lens is unable to focus. Therefore, after the operation, a person will be good at seeing either only in the distance or close. Usually, a lens is selected for distance, and plus glasses are recommended for reading.

What happens during surgery

During ultrasonic phacoemulsification (this is the name of the operation), a special needle is inserted through a microscopic incision into the eye. It generates ultrasound that destroys the dense tissue of the lens. The resulting gruel is removed through a second incision, and a new, artificial lens is introduced instead.

This process is very fast. If there are no complications, the entire operation takes no more than 10-15 minutes.

What will happen after the operation

The patient will be prescribed antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs to protect the eye from infection. You can go home in a few hours, but you still have to visit the surgeon a day, a week and a month after the operation.

According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, vision is almost completely restored in 75% of those operated on. Little or no improvement is observed only if other eye conditions are present.

Complications with ultrasonic phacoemulsification occur in only 0.5% of cases.

It all depends on the stage of cataract, the experience of the surgeon, the presence of concomitant diseases and the quality of artificial lenses.

In some patients, over time, glare or clouding of the lens appears, it shifts. The problem is usually solved with a second operation.

They also fight secondary cataracts. It occurs due to the clouding of the posterior capsule of the lens, which is not removed by ultrasonic phacoemulsification.

How to prevent the development of cataracts

The probability that the average Russian will develop cataracts after age 80 is 80%. Getting into the remaining 20% is difficult, but there are some things you can do. The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends the following guidelines.

• Stop smoking.
• Wear wide-brimmed hats and sunglasses with a UV filter.
• Treat existing medical conditions such as hypertension or diabetes mellitus responsibly.
• Protect your eyes from injury and infection.

Remember, the sooner you start cataract treatment, the more successful it will be. It is impossible to diagnose this disease at home. So, if you notice any changes in vision, see your doctor immediately.