What is a Cataract ?
The eye is just like a camera, inside the eye is a lens that helps focus the light onto the retina. The lens can suffer from clouding which is a condition known as cataracts. When the lens suffers from clouding the result is a haziness and reduces the quality of vision. The most common reason for this clouding of vision is age related, as such as you age it's very important to have regular eye sight examinations. If you feel you are suffering from blurred vision then it's vital you mention this symptom to the optician during the sight test.
What are the symptoms?
Some of the most common signs of a cataract is:
- Difficulty reading in low light conditions
- Cloudy, blurred or fading colours.
- Glare from headlights.
- Frequent change in prescription.
How is a cataract treated ?
When a cataract starts to develop and in the early stages a new pair of glasses can help with some of the common symptoms. In some cases using a magnifying glass can also help. If these two methods do not work then the only choice will be surgery to correct the cataract. This procedure involves removing the clouded lens inside the eye and replacing it with an artificial lens, the procedure only needs to be done once. Surgery is recommended when daily activities such as reading or driving become a problem.
How is the surgery performed ?
The surgery should be a painless experience, with little to no discomfort during the operation. For the majority of patients the surgery is performed under a local anaesthesia, a small incision is then made on the eye. The surgeon will then use an small ultrasonic instrument to remove the old clouded lens and insert the artificial lens to restore vision and strengthen the eye.
After the operation has been done you will then be given drops for your eye to combat infection and help with the healing process.
Did you know that ?
Did you know that 90% of the population will develop a cataract before the age of 65 ? With over 2 million cataract surgery procedures being performed every year it is one of the most common surgeries performed on senior citizens.