Cataract — Most Common Cause for Vision Loss

by SonjaHelga on Tuesday, April 8th, 2008 | Comments Off

Spring has sprung. Not much can outdo the fresh smell and look of spring! Vision, it’s a beautiful thing!

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Another eye disorder that can occur with little warning is a cataract, which is a clouding of the lens within the eye. The lens is composed of water and protein. The protein is arranged so that light can pass through and focus on the retina. If the protein clumps together, however, it starts to cloud over a small area of the lens. In time, this cloudy mass of protein — called a cataract — can grow larger, making it hard to see. That’s when it becomes a problem.
Like glaucoma, cataracts are painless. Often people with cataracts begin to complain about glare. “When these people have bright lights shined on them, their vision may drop rather dramatically,” explained Dr. Nussenblatt. Colors may seem faded, and eyeglasses or contact lenses may need frequent changing. Ironically, people with cataracts may need increased light to read, and to lessen other vision problems. If the cataract worsens, however, surgery may be necessary to remove the cloudy lens and replace it with a new lens (see box for a list of lens substitutes.)

By the year 2020, there will be more than 12 million individuals in the 65 or older age group who will probably need treatment for cataracts, he noted. Besides age, other factors that scientists believe may put you at greater risk for developing a cataract include heredity, alcohol use, smoking, long-term exposure to high levels of the sun’s ultraviolet rays, some medications and systemic disorders such as diabetes.

Cataract is perhaps the most common cause for a drop in vision in the world, but it is reversible,” Dr. Nussenblatt noted. “Cataract removal is the most common operation performed in the United States today. There are 1.5 million cataract operations done yearly; 95 percent of the people who have the surgery see well afterwards.” Usually, a cataract needs to be removed only when it affects your vision so much that it interferes with your daily activities.

NEI is conducting a nationwide clinical study called Age-Related Eye Disease Study. Scientists are examining, among other things, how cataracts develop and what factors put people at risk for developing them. The study is also looking at whether certain vitamins have any role in protecting the eye. Right now, there is no absolute evidence to support that idea. Other studies are looking at drugs that could slow down or delay cataract formation, as well as ways to improve surgical techniques.

Courtesy from: www-nih.gov.htm

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