What is cataract?
A cataract is the clouding or blurring of vision that develops in the lens of the eye. Most cataracts develop slowly and cause no pain. But as you age, it progresses. The lens becomes clouded and vision becomes blurred – affecting the patient’s ability to carry out everyday tasks – such as reading and driving.
Cataracts may develop in one or both of your eyes. However, in most cases — except for those caused by injury or trauma — cataracts tend to develop in both eyes.
Common signs and symptoms
As cataracts develop, most people do not know they have them at first. Symptoms usually creep up years after the early onset. However, the clouding progresses and vision will gets worse. Usually you will not notice any change in the appearance of your eye and causes no pain.
Signs and symptoms of cataracts may include:
- Clouding or blurring of vision
- Difficulty with night vision
- Sensitivity to light and glare
- Halos around lights
- The need for more light when reading and doing other activities
- Fading or yellowing of colors
- Glasses need to be changed more frequently
- Double vision
Common causes
Cataracts occur when there is a buildup of protein in the lens that makes the vision blurry and cloudy. This prevents light from passing through a normally clear lens, causing some loss of vision.
While the most common cause of cataracts is age, they can also be caused by eye trauma, certain medications, and various environmental and lifestyle factors. Additionally, some cataracts are congenital. This may be the result of the mother having contracted German measles (rubella) during pregnancy or may also be due to metabolic disorders. It doesn’t always affect vision, but if they do they're usually removed soon after detection.
Risk factors
Aging is the primary risk factor for cataracts, but other factors also include:
- Diabetes and other medical condition
- Family history of cataracts
- Previous eye injury or inflammation
- Previous eye surgery
- Prolonged use of corticosteroids
- Over exposure to sunlight
- Exposure to ionizing radiation
- Smoking
- Environmental factors
When to seek medical advice?
If you are 65 years old and above, it is best to have your regular eye examination at least once or twice a year. Your eye specialist can detect and monitor the development of your cataracts.
Options
In the early stages of cataract, self-care measures may help. Using accurate presciption eyeglasses or contact lenses, magnifying glasses for reading; appropriate lightning; wearing sunglasses to reduce glare may be able to improve your vision for awhile, but as it progresses your eye doctor will advise you to undergo cataract surgery.
Cataract surgery
Cataract surgery is the actual removal of patient’s natural clouded lens and replaced it with an artificial lens. It is removed by creating a tiny incision in your cornea. The natural lens is removed through phacomemulsification and an insertion of the intraocular lens (IOL) is made.
Cataract surgery is simple, safe, relatively painless and fast. It is performed by your ophthalmologist and is done in an outpatient basis under local anesthesia. LSC Megaclinic offers 2 types of cataract surgery: (1) Phacoemulsification (2) Conventional extracapsular cataract extraction.
Different types of IOLs
Intraocular Lenses is used to replace the normal lens that has been clouded by the cataract. In LSC-Megaclinic, our cataract surgeons only use foldable BFAD approved IOLs ranging from monofocal IOLS, aspheric IOLs, toric IOLs, and Multifocal IOLs.
Monofocal (foldable) IOLs
- good distance vision
- will still need reading glasses for near
- Aspheric (foldable) IOLs
- better clarity, contrast sensitivity, color perception
- Aspheric (foldable) IOLs
Toric (foldable) IOLs
- corrects significant astigmatism (-100 to -2::50 )
Multifocal (foldable) IOLs
- good distance, intermediate and near vision
- ideal for myopia/hyperopes
- no significant astigmatism (less than -1.50)
- may need period of adjustment
- realistic expectations
Cataract Screening
To know if you have a cataract, have your eyes examined by your eye doctor.
Cataract screening includes:
- Visual acuity test
- Slit-lamp examination
- Retinal examination/IO
- Biometry test
Pre-operative Care
- Patients are not allowed to eat or drink 8 hours prior to surgery (if under sedation or general anesthesia). If local anesthesia, patients are allowed to take light meals only.
- Patients are allowed to take a full body bath on the day of surgery.
- Patients are expected to be on the clinic 30 minutes before the surgery for the preparation.
- Perfume, eye make-up and nail polish are not allowed on the day of surgery.
- Patients are encouraged to remove their dentures and other accessories.
- Patients should stop their aspirin intakes 7 days before the surgery.
- Make sure that you read and signed the consent form and bring it with you on the day of sugery.
- Patients should have their Cardiac pulmonary and/or Diabetic Clearance with them on the day of surgery.
Post-operative care
It’s normal to feel some discomforts after the surgery. Do not press or avoid rubbing your eyes. The doctor will require you to wear protective goggles even at night. You will be asked to come the following day for your follow-up check-up with and will be given post-operative eye medications to keep you comfortable and to help prevent infection and/or inflammation.
You are likely to wear glasses after the surgery but the doctor will let you know and will give you your prescription for glasses when your eye have fully recovered from the surgery.
