Cataract is the clouding of ones eye's natural lens, which lies behind the iris and the pupil. Cataracts are the most common cause of vision loss in people over the age of 40 and are the most common cause of blindness in the world. In fact, there are more cases of cataracts worldwide than there are of glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy combined.
What are the different types of cataract?
The different types of cataract include:
- Sub capsular cataract: It occurs at the back of the lens. Diabetic people or those who are taking high dosage of steroid medications have a greater risk of developing a sub capsular cataract.
- Nuclear cataract: It is formed deep in the nucleus of the lens. Nuclear cataracts are usually associated with aging.
- Cortical cataract: It is characterized by the white, crescent-shaped opacities that begin from the periphery of the lens and work their way to the center in a spoke-like fashion. This type of cataract mainly occurs in the lens cortex, which is the part of the lens that surrounds the central nucleus.
What are the signs and symptoms of cataract?
A cataract starts out small and at first and has little effect on the vision. The vision is blurred a little, similar to looking through a cloudy piece of glass. A cataract may make light from the sun or a lamp too bright or glaring. It may also come to notice that the oncoming headlights during the night causes more glare than before. Colors may not appear as bright as they once did.
What causes cataract?
The lens inside the eye works much like a camera lens, focusing light onto the retina for clear vision. It will also adjust the eye's focus, which lets us see things clearly both up close and far away.
The lens is mainly made of water and protein. The protein is arranged in a precise way that keeps the lens clear and let’s light passes through it. But as we age, some of the protein may combine together and start to cloud a small area of the lens. A cataract may grow larger and cloud more on the lens over time, making it harder to see.
How is cataract treated?
Cataract surgery is very successful in restoring vision. During surgery, the surgeon will remove the clouded lens and in most cases replace it with a clear, plastic IOL (Intraocular lenses). New and advanced IOLs are being developed with time to make the surgery less complicated for surgeons and the lenses more helpful to patients.
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