A SIGHT for sore eyes
CATARACTS ARE VERY COMMON AND USUALLY DEVELOP AS PEOPLE START TO AGE
Many older people will develop cataracts, which are a leading cause of blindness. But how do you know if you have got them?
WHAT ARE CATARACTS?
Cataracts occur when the lens of your eye becomes cloudy, restricting the amount of light that gets through to your retina. Lenses are mostly formed from water and protein, with the protein spread out in a precise pattern to allow light to pass through the lens. In some people, the protein starts clumping together, forming “clouds” and distorting the light coming in. This affects your ability to see properly.
HOW DO I KNOW I’VE
GOT THEM?
Your vision will become blurry – some people describe it as trying to look through a fogged-up window. Other symptoms that you may experience include:
• Increased difficulty seeing at night
• Sensitivity to light and glare, and seeing “halos” around lights
• Finding you need brighter light to read
• Double vision or multiple images in one eye
• A brown tint to your vision • Colours seeming faded
Most cataracts develop slowly and don’t affect your vision to start with, but get progressively worse. They can be picked up in the early stages by an eye examination, so it is worth having regular check-ups.
You can’t see cataracts just by looking at your eye unless it is so severe that your pupil is grey or white. Your vision will have been affected long before you get to this stage.
WHAT CAUSES THEM?
There are many different causes of cataracts.
• The most common are age-related cataracts. These occur as part of the ageing process and are more likely in people over 60.
• Secondary cataracts are due to other medical conditions, such as diabetes or inflammatory eye conditions.
• Cataracts that result due to an injury to the eye or lens are known as traumatic cataracts.
• Some people are born with cataracts or they develop in early childhood. These congenital cataracts can be the result of a genetic defect or may be caused by an illness or infection during pregnancy.
• Toxic cataracts are caused by chemical toxicity or the longterm use of some medications, including corticosteroids such as prednisone.
HOW ARE CATARACTS DIAGNOSED?
Optometrists can carry out tests that detect eye diseases, including cataracts. As well as asking you to read a chart to assess how well you can see, they will also put drops in your eye to dilate your pupils and use a special magnifying lens to look inside your eye to see if you have a cataract and how bad it is. They may also carry out a test that measures the pressure inside your eye. This tonometry test checks for other eye problems, such as glaucoma. HOW ARE THEY TREATED? The only effective treatment for cataracts is surgery to remove
the natural lens in your eye, which has gone cloudy, and replace it with an artificial one that is clear. The new lens won’t be rejected by your body and it can’t turn cloudy thanks to cataracts, unlike your natural one.
Surgery is usually a short procedure, taking about 15 minutes. Most patients stay awake but are given a light sedative to relax them. There is usually no need to stay in hospital overnight. If you have cataracts in both eyes, they will be operated on at different times, so the first eye can recover before you have the second operation.
After having surgery you may notice that the eye is tender and very sensitive to light. You may also notice floating spots or see flickering. These effects normally go away within a week or two. CAN CATARACTS BE PREVENTED?
Eye experts don’t know how you can stop cataracts from forming or slow down their progress. But they say there are several things you can do that may be helpful, such as:
• Have regular eye examinations
• Quit smoking
• Eat a healthy diet that includes lots of fruit and vegetables
• Manage other health problems, such as diabetes
• Cut back on your alcohol consumption – drinking heavily can increase your chances of developing cataracts.
• Wear sunglasses. Ultraviolet light may contribute to the development of cataracts. Choose glasses that block
UVB rays.