What is Cataract?

What are the problems if you have a cataract? (Symptoms)

Vision changes with cataract include:

• Having a blurry or dim vision.
• Being extra sensitive to light (photophobia). .
• Being difficult to see well at night (need bright light while reading). .
• Seeing bright colors as fade or yellowish. .
• Seeing double as astigmatism. .

What are the causes of cataracts?

The most common cause of cataracts is Aging. The causes of cataracts can be classified as congenital or acquired.

A- Acquired cataract

Age-related cataract (most common) Cataract in systemic diseases (Diabetes mellitus, Myotonic dystrophy, Neurofibromatosis type 2, etc.).

Secondary cataract (the result of other primary ocular diseases such as uveitis, an acute attack of angle-closure glaucoma).

Traumatic cataract (the most common cause of unilateral cataract in young individuals). Others: past eye surgery, long-term use of steroid medications, etc.

B- Congenital cataract

When we are born with a cataract, it is called a congenital cataract. This type occurs in about 3 in 10 000 live births. Two-third is bilateral and a cause can be identified in about half of these.

How many types of cataracts?

The most common cause of cataracts is aging.

There are 3 main types of age-related cataract:

• Nuclear sclerotic cataract
• Cortical cataract
• Subcapsular cataract

What are the risk factors of cataract?

Factors that increase the risk of cataract include:

• Age
• Systemic diseases (Diabetes, Hypertension, Dyslipidemia, etc.)
• Past ocular history (previous eye injury or surgery)
• Prolonged use of steroid medications
• Smoking and alcohol

How to diagnose a cataract?

The ophthalmologist (eye doctor) is the one who can determine whether you have a cataract.

Moreover, the ophthalmologist can also confirm the degree and types of your cataract by doing several tests:

• Visual acuity test: can tell how well you can see!
• Slit-lamp exam: can see the structure of your eye, mostly the anterior segment of your eye (cornea, iris, and lens)
• Retina exam: can see the retina (the back of your eye)

How to treat cataracts?

Nowadays, there are no medications that can cure cataracts. The only way to remove cataract is Cataract surgery. Not all cataract patients need cataract surgery when the sympoms are not too bad. Surgery is indicated when glasses can not help the patients vision or cataract keep you from doing your daily activities. Anyways, Cataract surgery is still a safe and effective treatment in modern technology.