Cataract
What is a Cataract?
A cataract is where the normally clear crystalline lens in the eye (that you are born with) becomes cloudy. In other words, it loses transparency or becomes partially opaque.
What types of Cataract are there?
Opacities in the lens can occur in various parts of the lens:
- Cortical cataract
Where the opacities are on the front part of the lens. If the opacities do not involve the centre of the lens these may not be visually significant.
- Nuclear cataract
The most common type of cataract seen with aging and is where the entire lens becomes cloudy in a fairly uniform fashion. This type of cataract typically affects distance vision more than reading vision.
- Posterior subscapsular cataract
Involves the back part of the lens. This type of cataract can come on relatively quickly and is often associated with blurring of both distance and reading vision. Glare is also common.
What are the symptoms of cataracts?
Cataracts are commonly associated with blurred vision or glare. As cataracts are developing there may be a change in glasses prescription as the eye becomes more short-sighted. In early cases the symptoms may be most apparent in low contrast situations such as on cloudy days or at night. In many cases distance vision is affected more than reading (near) vision.
How are cataracts diagnosed?
Cataracts are diagnosed by taking a detailed history and by examining the eyes after dilating the pupils.
What is the natural history of cataracts?
In most cases cataracts worsen slowly over time but in some cases the progression may be rapid, for example in patients who have undergone vitrectomy surgery or in those with posterior subcapsular cataract.
What is the Treatment for Cataracts?
Cataract surgery is an operation performed in hospital where the crystalline lens of the eye is removed and replaced with a plastic intraocular lens implant (IOL).
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