#EyeTalk
Did you know that nearly 2.5 million Canadians have cataracts? Cataracts are a clouding of the lens of the eye and are extremely common part of the aging process, much like greying hair and wrinkles. The bad news is – cataracts cause partial blindness but the good news is – they’re virtually painless and treatable through surgery. Keep in mind that cataracts can occur in either one eye or both and if you were wondering, are not contagious
What is the lens of the eye?
The lens is the clear part of the eye that helps to focus light, or an image, on the retina. The retina is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. In a normal eye, light passes through the transparent lens to the retina. Once it reaches the retina, light is changed into nerve signals that are sent to the brain. The lens must be clear for the retina to receive a sharp image. If the lens is cloudy from a cataract, the image you will see will be blurred.
What is the cause of cataracts?
The lens inside the eye works a lot like a camera lens as it focuses light onto the retina for clear vision. It also adjusts the eye’s focus, allowing us to view objects near and far away.
The lens is composed of water & protein. The function of the protein is to keep the lens clear for the light to pass through. However, as we age, the protein may ‘clump’ together and cloud the lens. Over time the cataract may grow and cause partial blindness.
How do cataracts affect your vision?
As the cataract initially develops, it is so minute that it has little to no effect on your vision at all. However, as it grows, your vision will become duller, blurrier and may also have a yellowish/brownish tint.
When will you develop a cataract?
You don’t need to be a senior to have a cataract. The disease could develop in a person’s 40s or 50s. It is important to note that during middle age, cataracts are too small to greatly affect vision. It is only after the age of 60 that cataracts cause vision problems.
Who is at risk?
Age is a risk factor for developing cataracts, however, there are other risk factors to be mindful of!
- Diseases such as diabetes
- Smoking or alcohol usage
- The environment – exposed to harmful UV rays
What are symptoms of cataracts?
- Cloudy, blurry vision
- Faded colours
- Poor night vision
- Lamps, sunlight and headlights may seem too bright
- Double vision or multiple images in one eye
- Frequent prescription changes
Are there different kinds of cataracts?
Most cataracts are associated with aging, however, there are other kinds of cataracts:
- Secondary Cataract: These can occur after a surgery for other eye problems, if you have diabetes or if you use steroids.
- Traumatic cataract: Occurs after an eye injury
- Congenital Cataract: Babies can be born or develop cataracts in childhood. They’re often small and rarely affect vision but are removed if they do.
How do we treat cataracts?
Early symptoms of cataracts are treated with improved prescriptions, anti-glare sunglasses or even magnifying glasses. If the cataract is too severe, surgery is the way forward. During the surgery, the cloudy lens is removed and replaced with an artificial lens. Bear in mind that it is important to wait for a month or two after the surgery before getting a new prescription. The eyes need time to settle!