Cataract

When the lens in your eye becomes cloudy, the light reaching the retina is blurred and distorted and your vision is affected then this clouded lens is called a cataract which must be removed for vision to be restored. A clouded lens can be compared to a window that is frosted or "fogged" with steam. Cataracts are treated as a surgical procedure that has become a fairly common practice in India. The two most common types of cataracts are: cortical cataract and a posterior sub capsular cataract. Depending on the type of cataract, a patient will experience different visual problems, but the most common cataract symptoms include:

  • Sensitivity to light or glare
  • Blurring vision
  • Double vision in one eye
  • Poor night vision
  • Needing brighter light to read
  • Experiencing fading or yellowing of colors
  • If the cloudiness is not near the center of the lens, you may not be aware that you have a cataract

Many cataracts take years to develop to the point where vision is seriously affected. Most occur as a result of the normal aging process. The types of age-related cataracts are usually described by their location in the lens. They are: nuclear cataracts, cortical cataracts and sub capsular cataracts. Nuclear Cataracts occur in the centre of the lens and may induce other eye problems, such as Myopia. Cortical Cataracts tend to occur in persons with diabetes, beginning from the outer portion of the lens and slowly moving inward. Sub Capsular Cataracts develop under the capsule, often at the back of the lens. This type of cataract also occurs more in patients suffering from diabetes, but is also found in persons with high myopia, adults with Retinitis Pigmentosa and in patients who take steroids.

There are other kinds of cataracts not related to the aging process. Traumatic Cataracts develop as a result of eye injuries. Others can develop from metabolic blood disorders, eye infections and inflammations and certain types of medications. Another type, called Congenital Cataract, occurs at birth, particularly if the mother has had Rubella (German measles) during pregnancy. Research continues to look for ways to prevent cataracts. Until then, good vision can be restored in 98 percent of all patients who have normal, healthy eyes after surgery.