Cataracts Symptoms

Eye Cataracts - Cataracts Symptoms And Cataract Surgery

Eye cataracts are the cloudy area in the lens of the eye. The lens works to focus the image on the retina, so if there is a cloudy area in the lens (as in the case of cataracts) the image on the retina will be blurry. The cloudiness of the cataracts is due to the lens protein which is normally clear but starts clumping together with age. If the cataracts symptoms you experience are interfering with your daily life activities, you should consult an eye doctor who may recommend a cataract surgery.

Eye cataracts are usually age-related but there are also other types. Such as secondary cataract (which may occur after eye surgery), traumatic cataract (after an eye injury), congenital cataract (this can occur at birth in some babies) and radiation cataract (after exposure to certain types of radiation).

Eye Cataracts Risk Factors

The biggest risk factor for eye cataracts is age, although those with a family history are also at risk. Individuals with diabetes are known to have an increased risk, as are smokers, those who are obese, have high blood pressure or are taking corticosteroid medication.

There is no single preventive action which can avoid the incidence of this eye condition, but wearing sunglasses and a wide brimmed hat is thought to help by decreasing the amount of ultraviolet light hitting the eyes.

Eye Cataracts Symptoms

Eye cataracts can cause any or all of the following symptoms: blurred or cloudy vision, glare from lights, seeing 'halos' around lights, poor night vision, changes in glasses or contact lens prescriptions, not seeing colors accurately (particularly blues and purples), and double vision in one eye. It is important to note that some of these eye cataracts symptoms also mimic those of more urgent eye conditions, so anyone experiencing these symptoms should contact their eye doctor for advice.

To diagnose cataracts, an eye doctor will perform eye exams which includes a visual acuity test (reading chart), a slit-lamp examination (looking at the eye with light and magnification to detect any small abnormalities) and dilation with eye drops to examine the retina.

Cataract Surgery

Eye cataracts treatment generally involves surgical removal of the lens of the eye and replacement with a clear plastic lens. If plastic lens cannot be used due to some other eye problems, then the cataract is extracted from the person's lens and vision can be further corrected using glasses or contact lens.

Eye cataracts treatment is usually only necessary when it starts interfering with the patient's daily life. It is not an urgent surgery, so patients can think about it and discuss the timing of cataract surgery with their eye doctor. If both eyes need surgery, only one eye will be operated upon at a time with an interval of a few weeks between surgeries.

Cataract removal surgery is typically an outpatient procedure which takes place under local anesthetic, meaning the eye is numb but the patient is awake. Although such cataract surgery is a low risk procedure, it still carries a certain level of risks just like any other surgery. In the case of cataract surgery, the biggest risks are infection which can lead to irreversible loss of vision, and bleeding. Cataract surgery can also increase the risk of retinal detachment, a serious condition which can also lead to loss of vision. Retinal detachment, although painless, is a medical emergency signaled by a sudden increase in floaters or flashes. Eye cataracts cannot be cured by medication or by other non-surgical means.

Eye cataracts are age-related protein deposits in the lens of the eyes which can cause poor vision. Cataracts symptoms may hamper your daily activities making it difficult or even dangerous for you to carry out certain tasks. Cataracts can be diagnosed by an eye doctor so that a treatment plan can be mapped out. It may involve cataract surgery to remove the entire lens of the eye and replacing it with a clear plastic lens. Generally eye cataracts treatment in the form of cataract surgery is a low-risk surgery overall.

Cataract Surgery