Inside Cataracts: It Doesn't Just Occur with Old Age

Many people think that cataracts are an eye problem that one does not have to worry about until age 60 or older. Although old age is a common contributing factor in developing cataracts, it is not the only way to get it.

A cataract is a formation in the eye that causes cloudy vision. According to PRK & LASIK Today, an eye lens is made of water and protein. Normally, light passes through the lens to get to the retina. Cataracts form when the protein in the lens clumps together, and the lens becomes frosty.

According to information provided by the Lafayette Lions Club, which is known for its service to persons who are blind and visually impaired, cataracts form from a change in the chemical composition of the lens. It is not preventable, which is why people over 60 are advised to get their eyes checked every two years for early detection.

According to PRK & LASIK, common symptoms of cataracts start with fading of colors, lights that seem too bright, double vision in one eye and poor night vision. Other symptoms are cloudy vision, frequent change in eyeglass prescription, and, a change in the pupil color from black to gray, then to white, according to Lions Club information. Eventually, less light reaches the retina, which makes vision blurry.

These symptoms are common in most cases of cataracts, whether or not the cause of cataracts is age-related.

According to PRK & LASIK, most cataracts associated with aging develop gradually over a period of years. Other cataracts in younger people and people with diabetes may progress rapidly over a few months and cause vision to worsen.

One form of cataracts that is not age-related is secondary cataracts. It stems from existing medical conditions, such as diabetes. It is also linked to steroid use, or exposing ones lenses to too much sunlight, according to PRK & LASIK. Apple Hill Eye Center stated that secondary cataracts develop after a patient has had cataract surgery, and experiences clouding of the capsule which holds the replacement lens. It can occur months or years after the original surgery, according to the eye center, and it can be treated with a laser procedure, known as a YAG laser capsulotomy.

Tramatic cataracts occur after an eye injury. According to eMedicine, a WebMD Health website, rare causes of it are infrared energy (glass-blower's cataract), electric shock, and ionizing radiation.

Radiation-related cataracts occurred during the nuclear accident of Chernobyl in April 1986, according to the German Ophthalmological Society. Workers were not wearing sufficient clothing, and as a result, they were exposed to dangerous amounts of ionizing radiation. Twelve Chernobyl victims and four in other nuclear accidents were tested in 1991 for visual radiation damage, and six patients were found to have a type of cataracts known as posterior subcapsular cataracts, which affects the back of the lens.

Cataracts caused by blunt trauma forms stable or progressive cloudiness, according to eMedicine. The website information showed that trauma that penetrates the lens capsule forms complete cloudy vision. Traumatic cataracts also occur when the lens is dislocated. Traumatic cataracts are not usually simple to treat. According to information provided by eMedicine, trauma is the leading cause of monocular blindness in people younger than 45 years.

Another type of cataracts is congenital cataracts. It is found in babies and children, and usually does not affect vision. It is linked to inherited diseases. However, the University of Maryland Medical Center found that in most patients, no specific cause can be identified.

If a change of eyeglass lenses or stronger lighting does not improve vision in patients with cataracts, then the cataracts are removed. According to PRK & LASIK, if there is a cataract in both eyes, then each cataract is removed at a separate time to reduce the risk of infection. Sometimes, cataracts are removed to prevent other eye problems, such as macular degeneration. In cataract surgery, an incision is made in the eye. It is either made in the cornea, which is the clear area over the pupil, or in the sclera, the white of the eye. The incision is either large or small, depending on the surgeon's technique. These days, a small incision is made in the cornea, and a probe is placed into the incision. A small probe is inserted into the incision, which emits ultrasonic waves that soften and break up the cloudy center of the lens, and then it's removed by suction. Finally, an artificial lens, called an intraocular lens, is put in place of the natural one. Healing takes about six weeks, and the amount of visual improvement varies.

Although cataracts are unavoidable, The PRK & LASIK website stated that people can slow cataract development with a well-balanced diet, and by protecting the eyes from excessive sunlight.