When should you get your eyes checked for Cataract!

After crossing the age of 55, your eye doctor will most likely say to you that you have developed a cataract and need an operation.

Before going for a surgery for cataract you should know what cataract is, what are the causes of cataract and how is it treated.

A cataract is a clouding of lens inside the eye, causing the vision loss that cannot be corrected with glasses, contact lenses or corneal refractive surgeries like LASIK. For those people who have cataract it feels like they are looking through a foggy lens or a fogged-up window.  

This does sound frightening in the beginning, but rest assured this is a common symptom and happens to most of the people in their later years. According a recent research by NCBI 50-80% of the people above the age group of 50 in India suffer from Cataract.  

Thankfully, modern contact surgeries are one of the safest and effective surgical processes and ensure that the desired results are achieved. Cataract surgeries have become way advanced and can result in reducing your dependency on eyeglasses/contact lenses.

Some common symptoms:

1.       Clouded vision or blurred vision
2.       Sensitivity to light and glare
3.       Difficulty with vision at night
4.       Sometimes the patient may see halos around the lights
5.       Frequent changes in the eyeglasses/lenses
6.       Double vision
7.       Fading of colours

At first the cloudiness of the vision is not so problematic but with the passage of time the vision becomes blurred and you will need to frequently change your power of glasses. As the cataract grows larger it clouds the vision further.

Some common causes of Cataract are:

The most common cause of cataract is normally associated with aging or injury to the tissue associated with the eye’s lens. There are other factors which include like problems related to diabetes or in some cases when it has been inherited. Long term use of steroid based medicines can also cause cataract problems.

Types of Cataract:

Cataracts are usually classified into two different types:

1. Congenital Cataract: This type of cataract is usually occurs when the lens of the eye becomes clouded at the birth.
2. Acquired Cataract: These are caused by abnormal interactions among the proteins that make up the lens. Over time, these abnormal interactions cause clumping, specks or cloudy areas to form. Some possible causes of acquired cataracts are: trauma to the eye. diabetes or other metabolic disease.

How can you prevent Cataracts from developing in your eyes?

No study has ever been proven that has helped to reduce Cataract. But doctors think several strategies can work in preventing Cataract.

1.       Regular eye check-ups
2.       Quit smoking
3.       Manage other health related issues like Diabetes
4.       Wear sunglasses
5.       Reduce alcohol consumption

How much should the cataract develop before you can have a surgery:

A cataract doesn’t have to be at an advanced stage before it can be removed. In the past when the cataract was at advanced stage it was very difficult to remove the cataract from the lens. But with modern technologies it has become quite easier to remove the cataract at any stage.

It is true that the longer a cataract develops, the more it hardens. At advanced stages, a firmer or more developed cataract can be difficult to remove. It is always advised that we remove the cataract it as soon as it develops. In the end it is the patient’s decision when they want to get their cataract removed. 

If you would like to know more about Cataract surgery or will like to book an appointment, visit us at our clinic today. Or you can call us at +91-9599229744 for booking an appointment.