What is cataract and how can I treat it?
Cataract surgery is considered one of the most successful and safest surgical procedures. The vision loss associated with cataracts is reversible with surgery.
Cataract is an opacification of the eye's natural lens, located behind the iris and pupil called the lens of the eye. The lens is responsible for focusing light on the retina, which sends visual signals to the brain. When we are born, the lens is transparent. As we grow and age it loses its transparency. When it opacifies we are in the presence of a cataract.
Cataract is a common condition, especially in older adults. It can result from aging, but also from traumatic injuries, certain medical diseases as well as from prolonged exposure to ultraviolet radiation. Some people are born with (congenital) cataracts or develop them at a young age.
Symptoms of cataracts can include blurred or cloudy vision, difficulty seeing at night, glare or halos around lights, double vision in one eye, and altered color vision (more yellowish for example) that may go unnoticed by the person themselves. If you have any of these symptoms, it is important to see an eye doctor for a complete eye examination.
Currently there is no medical treatment to prevent or reverse cataracts, but they can be treated surgically. During cataract surgery, the opaque lens is removed and replaced with an artificial intraocular lens (IOL). This procedure is usually performed in an outpatient setting (it does not require hospitalization).
Cataract surgery is considered one of the most successful and safest surgical procedures. The vision loss associated with cataracts is reversible with surgery. In fact, in the absence of other eye diseases, recovery of vision after surgery can be total. The surgery is usually performed under local anesthesia, and recovery time varies, but most people are able to return to normal activities within a few days.
It is important to note that cataract surgery does not prevent the development of other eye problems such as age macular degeneration (AMD), glaucoma or diabetic retinopathy, all of which cause irreversible vision loss. Thus, regular eye examinations remain important to monitor these conditions also after cataract surgery.
In conclusion, cataract is a common condition that usually affects both eyes, especially in older adults, that causes opacification of the lens of the eye, a natural lens we have inside the eye that is transparent when we are born. It can cause to include blurred or cloudy vision, difficulty seeing at night, glare or halos around lights, and double vision in one eye. There is no medical treatment to prevent or reverse cataracts, but they can be treated surgically. Cataract surgery is considered one of the most successful surgical procedures in medicine. It is important to see an eye doctor regularly to monitor for other eye problems, even after cataract surgery.
Source: "Observador.pt", February 2023.