A cataract is a cloudy formation on the lens of your eye. A cataract develops when proteins in the eye form clumps that restrict the lens from sending clear images to the retina. The retina works by transforming the light that comes through the lens into signals. The signals are then sent to the optic nerve, which consigns them to the brain.
The lens in the eyes becomes less flexible, thicker, and transparent as you age. Age-related and other medical conditions also cause tissues within the lens to break down and create the cloudy vision within the lens. With the increase in the cataract size, this cloudy vision becomes wider and denser while blocking the light. This can make it hard for people to continue with reading or driving a car, or seeing someone’s face clearly.
Cataracts do not occur all at once; rather, they develop slowly, and so the impact on the vision is a little late. First thing first, they will interfere with vision sooner or later in life, if not treated at the earliest.
Initially, you can get along with eyeglasses to deal with cataracts. But if the impaired vision is affecting the quality of life, you may need treatment.
At first, stronger lighting and eyeglasses can help you deal with cataracts. But if impaired vision interferes with your usual activities, you might need cataract surgery. Fortunately, cataract surgery is generally a safe, effective procedure.
Fast facts
- A cataract can develop in one or both eyes, but it does not spread from one eye to the other.
- It is common to have cataracts by the age of 80.
What are the types of cataracts?
Cataracts are usually age-related- they happen because of changes in the eye functioning as we get older. But you can also have cataracts for several reasons, such as after an injury or surgery related to the eyes.
Types
Cataract affecting the center of the lens. A nuclear cataract may cause nearsightedness or even a temporary improvement in your vision. But as the cloudy appearance grow firmly, you may have a blurry vision. The yellowing or browning of the lens can make it hard for you to distinguish different shades of color.
Cataracts that affect the lens’s edges (cortical cataracts). This type of cataract begins with wedged-shaped streaks on the edges. The streaks or wedges grow towards the center and make the vision blurry.
Cataracts that affect the back of the lens (posterior subcapsular cataracts). This form of cataract begins as an opaque area at the back of the lens, right in the way of light. It affects reading capacity basically in the bright light causing halos around light. This type of cataracts grows o the other parts of the lens faster than other types do.
Congenital cataracts. People are born with cataracts that affect their vision. It is linked to intrauterine infection or trauma. People who are born with myotonic dystrophy, type 2 neurofibromatosis, rubella, and galactosemia get a congenital cataract.
What are the symptoms of a cataract?
The signs and symptoms of a cataract may be as follow:
- Blurred or double vision or dim vision
- Difficult visualizing things at night
- Need for brighter light for activities like reading
- Sensitivity to light
- Frequent changes in eyeglass or contact lens
- Fading or yellowing of colors
At first, cloudy vision caused by lumps may affect only a portion of the eye’s lens, and you may not know about the reason for vision loss. With an increased cataract size, cloudiness or blurry vision may disrupt the light passing through the lens. This may make the signs appear more frequently.
When to see a doctor
Make an appointment with your doctor if noticeable changes in your vision. If you develop sudden vision changes, such as flashes of light, pain in one or both eyes, headache, consult your doctor right away.
What are the risk factors associated with the development of cataracts?
- Age
- Medical conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, previous eye injury or inflammation,
- Excessive exposure to sunlight
- Smoking
- Eye surgery
- Prolonged use of corticosteroid medications
- Binge alcohol consumption
Prevention
There is no exact information on ways to slow down the progression of cataracts, but doctors do tell several helpful strategies, such as:
Have regular eye examinations. Frequent eye examinations are helpful to catch eye problems at the earliest.
Manage your health. Keeping health factors in control, such as blood sugar and blood pressure, will help bring down the risk of cataracts later in life.
Eat healthily. Picking up a diet that is rich in nutrients, including vitamins and minerals, will help. Ensuring that you are taking enough antioxidants will help keep a check on your eye health.
Quit smoking. Abandoning smoking will likely reduce the risk of cataracts.
Wear sunglasses. Ultraviolet light contributes to the development of cataracts. Wear sunglasses that block ultraviolet B (UVB) rays when you go outside.
Reduce alcohol use. Excessive alcohol consumption can also contribute to the risk of cataracts.
Diagnostic tests
The doctor begins with a comprehensive eye examination to check you for cataracts and to assess your vision. This will include examining your visions at different distances and tonometry to measure pressure on your eyes.
The tonometry test uses a painless puff of air to flatten the corner and check whether it can sustain pressure. During the test, your doctor will also put drops in your eyes to make them bigger.
Other tests include checking the eye’s sensitivity to glare and perception of colors.
Ayurvedic treatment for cataract
In Ayurveda, a cataract is known by the name timira or linga nasha. Amongst the three doshas of the body, aggravated Vata is the main cause for the manifestation of the disease.
This leads to dryness in the eye lens that blocks the vision.
If you begin the treatment a little early, the need for surgery in the later stages can be avoided. The aim of ayurvedic medicine is to restore the tri doshas and nourish and strengthen the nerves and tissues.