Cataracts needn't impair your vision
A cataract is the clouding of the natural lens of the eye that progressively affects vision, most commonly due to ageing.
It mainly affects people at around age 60 but can occur as early as 40. At least two-thirds of people suffer from impaired vision due to cataracts by age 75.
The first sign is cloudy or blurry vision, diminishing gradually over several years into a permanent “fog” in the front of the eyes. There might be a disturbing halo around lights, including the headlights of oncoming vehicles. Poor night vision and sometimes double vision also result.
When these symptoms start affecting your daily routine, it’s time to see an ophthalmologist.
While age-related, the specific cause of cataracts remains uncertain. It is known, however, that diabetes, smoking, alcohol use, excessive exposure to sunlight and any eye trauma increase the risk.
Ageing doesn’t even have to be a factor. Cataracts can result from the long-term use of corticosteroids or radiotherapy, but these instances are sometimes reversible.
In cases deriving from diabetes, severe myopia and chronic inflammation of the eyes, the triggering medical condition has to be treated as well.
The only effective treatment for cataracts is surgery, and significant progress has been made in this field. The surgery is performed under local anaesthesia, takes less than 30 minutes and requires no hospital stay.
A comprehensive eye exam prior to surgery will confirm the diagnosis and determine the type of surgical approach needed. It will assess any pre-existing eye problems, such as glaucoma (increased pressure within the eyeball) and macular degenerescence (deterioration of the central portion of the retina).
A thorough study of the eye anatomy allows the ophthalmologist to decide on the most appropriate plastic lens implant to correct – if feasible – any associated vision abnormality such as presbyopia (long-sightedness) or astigmatism.
You should arrange to have the surgery when your impaired vision is affecting your daily life and if there’s a real possibility of correcting the situation.
The usual procedure, “small-incision cataract surgery”, starts with a tiny cut on the side of the cornea, through which a small device is inserted that emits ultrasound to break up the lens cloud. The pieces are then vacuumed out and an implant is inserted.
Because there is a very slight risk of infection, surgery on the cataract in your second eye is usually scheduled for a month later.
The results of surgery are overwhelmingly positive, but in 30 per cent of the cases cataracts will reappear, possibly in as little as a few months. This is easily treated, though, with an outpatient laser procedure that takes just a few minutes.
While there is no proven method to avoid cataracts, you can lower the risk if you don’t smoke, drink alcohol only in moderation, wear sunglasses and maintain a healthy diet.
And, to be extra safe, if you’re over 40, visit the ophthalmologist for regular check-ups.
Dr Gerard Lalande is managing director of CEO-Health, which provides medical referrals for expatriates and customised executive medical check-ups in Thailand. He can be contacted at [email protected].
