Question: What is (are) Cataract ?
Answer: A Clouding of the Lens in the Eye A cataract is a clouding of the lens in the eye that affects vision. The lens is a clear part of the eye that helps to focus light, or an image, on the retina. The retina is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. In a normal eye, light passes through the transparent lens to the retina. Once it reaches the retina, light is changed into nerve signals that are sent to the brain. In a normal eye, light passes through the transparent lens to the retina. Once it reaches the retina, light is changed into nerve signals that are sent to the brain. A cataract can occur in either or both eyes. It cannot spread from one eye to the other. Cataracts and Aging Most cataracts are related to aging. Cataracts are very common in older people. By age 80, more than half of all Americans either have a cataract or have had cataract surgery.
Source: NIHSeniorHealth

Question: Who is at risk for Cataract? ?
Answer: Age-related cataracts develop in two ways. - Clumps of protein reduce the sharpness of the image reaching the retina. - The clear lens slowly changes to a yellowish/brownish color, adding a brownish tint to vision. Clumps of protein reduce the sharpness of the image reaching the retina. The clear lens slowly changes to a yellowish/brownish color, adding a brownish tint to vision. Protein Clumpings Cloud the Lens The lens consists mostly of water and protein. When the protein clumps up, it clouds the lens and reduces the light that reaches the retina. The clouding may become severe enough to cause blurred vision. Most age-related cataracts develop from protein clumpings. When a cataract is small, the cloudiness affects only a small part of the lens. You may not notice any changes in your vision. Cataracts tend to grow slowly, so vision gets worse gradually. Over time, the cloudy area in the lens may get larger, and the cataract may increase in size. Seeing may become more difficult. Your vision may get duller or blurrier. Discoloration of the Lens Cataracts cause the lens to change to a yellowish/brownish color. As the clear lens slowly colors with age, your vision gradually may acquire a brownish shade. At first, the amount of tinting may be small and may not cause a vision problem. Over time, increased tinting may make it more difficult to read and perform other routine activities. This gradual change in the amount of tinting does not affect the sharpness of the image transmitted to the retina. If you have advanced lens discoloration, you may not be able to identify blues and purples. You may be wearing what you believe to be a pair of black socks, only to find out from friends that you are wearing purple socks. Risk Factors The risk of cataract increases as you get older. Other risk factors for cataract include - certain diseases like diabetes - personal behavior like smoking or alcohol use - environmental factors such as prolonged exposure to ultraviolet sunlight. certain diseases like diabetes personal behavior like smoking or alcohol use environmental factors such as prolonged exposure to ultraviolet sunlight.
Source: NIHSeniorHealth

Question: Who is at risk for Cataract? ?
Answer: There are several things you can do to lower your risk for cataract. They include - having regular eye exams - quitting smoking - wearing sunglasses - taking care of other health problems - maintaining a healthy weight - choosing a healthy diet. having regular eye exams quitting smoking wearing sunglasses taking care of other health problems maintaining a healthy weight choosing a healthy diet. Get Regular Eye Exams Be sure to have regular comprehensive eye exams. If you are age 60 or older, you should have a comprehensive dilated eye exam at least once a year. Eye exams can help detect cataracts and other age-related eye problems at their earliest stages. In addition to cataract, your eye care professional can check for signs of age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, and other vision disorders. For many eye diseases, early treatment may save your sight. For more on comprehensive eye exams, see the chapter on Symptoms and Detection. Quit Smoking Ask your doctor for help to stop smoking. Medications, counseling and other strategies are available to help you. Wear Sunglasses Ultraviolet light from the sun may contribute to the development of cataracts. Wear sunglasses that block ultraviolet B (UVB) rays when you're outdoors. Take Care of Other Health Problems Follow your treatment plan if you have diabetes or other medical conditions that can increase your risk of cataracts. Maintain a Healthy Weight If your current weight is a healthy one, work to maintain it by exercising most days of the week. If you're overweight or obese, work to lose weight slowly by reducing your calorie intake and increasing the amount of exercise you get each day. Choose a Healthy Diet Choose a healthy diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables. Adding a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables to your diet ensures that you're getting a lot of vitamins and nutrients. Fruits and vegetables are full of antioxidants, which in theory could prevent damage to your eye's lens. Studies haven't proven that antioxidants in pill form can prevent cataracts. But fruits and vegetables have many proven health benefits and are a safe way to increase the amount of vitamins in your diet. Choose a Healthy Diet Choose a healthy diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables. Adding a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables to your diet ensures that you're getting a lot of vitamins and nutrients. Fruits and vegetables are full of antioxidants, which in theory could prevent damage to your eye's lens. Studies haven't proven that antioxidants in pill form can prevent cataracts. But fruits and vegetables have many proven health benefits and are a safe way to increase the amount of vitamins in your diet.
Source: NIHSeniorHealth

Question: What are the treatments for Cataract ?
Answer: A cataract needs to be removed only when vision loss interferes with your everyday activities, such as driving, reading, or watching TV. You and your eye care professional can make this decision together. Is Surgery Right For You? Once you understand the benefits and risks of surgery, you can make an informed decision about whether cataract surgery is right for you. In most cases, delaying cataract surgery will not cause long-term damage to your eye or make the surgery more difficult. You do not have to rush into surgery. Sometimes a cataract should be removed even if it does not cause problems with your vision. For example, a cataract should be removed if it prevents examination or treatment of another eye problem, such as age-related macular degeneration or diabetic retinopathy. If you choose surgery, your eye care professional may refer you to a specialist to remove the cataract. If you have cataracts in both eyes that require surgery, the surgery will be performed on each eye at separate times, usually four to eight weeks apart. Cataract removal is one of the most common operations performed in the United States. It also is one of the safest and most effective types of surgery. In about 90 percent of cases, people who have cataract surgery have better vision afterward. Types of Cataract Surgery There are two types of cataract surgery, phacoemulsification and extracapsular surgery. Your doctor can explain the differences and help determine which is better for you. With phacoemulsification, or phaco, a small incision is made on the side of the cornea, the clear, dome-shaped surface that covers the front of the eye. Your doctor inserts a tiny probe into the eye. This device emits ultrasound waves that soften and break up the lens so that it can be removed by suction. Most cataract surgery today is done by phacoemulsification, also called small incision cataract surgery. With extracapsular surgery, your doctor makes a longer incision on the side of the cornea and removes the cloudy core of the lens in one piece. The rest of the lens is removed by suction. An Artificial Lens Replaces the Natural Lens After the natural lens has been removed, it usually is replaced by an artificial lens, called an intraocular lens, or IOL. An IOL is a clear, plastic lens that requires no care and becomes a permanent part of your eye. Light is focused clearly by the IOL onto the retina, improving your vision. You will not feel or see the new lens. The operation usually lasts less than one hour and is almost painless. Many people choose to stay awake during surgery. You can return quickly to many everyday activities, but your vision may be blurry. The healing eye needs time to adjust so that it can focus properly with the other eye, especially if the other eye has a cataract. Ask your doctor when you can resume driving. Wearing sunglasses and a hat with a brim to block ultraviolet sunlight may help to delay cataract. If you smoke, stop. Researchers also believe good nutrition can help reduce the risk of age-related cataract. They recommend eating green leafy vegetables, fruit, and other foods with antioxidants. If you are age 60 or older, you should have a comprehensive dilated eye exam at least once a year. In addition to cataract, your eye care professional can check for signs of age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, and other vision disorders. For many eye diseases, early treatment may save your sight.
Source: NIHSeniorHealth

Question: What is (are) Cataract ?
Answer: A cataract is a clouding of the lens in the eye that affects vision. Most cataracts are related to aging. Cataracts are very common in older people. By age 80, more than half of all Americans either have a cataract or have had cataract surgery. A cataract can occur in either or both eyes. It cannot spread from one eye to the other.
Source: NIHSeniorHealth

Question: What is (are) Cataract ?
Answer: The lens is a clear part of the eye that helps to focus light, or an image, on the retina. The retina is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. In a normal eye, light passes through the transparent lens to the retina. Once it reaches the retina, light is changed into nerve signals that are sent to the brain. The lens must be clear for the retina to receive a sharp image. If the lens is cloudy from a cataract, the image you see will be blurred.
Source: NIHSeniorHealth

Question: Who is at risk for Cataract? ?
Answer: The risk of cataract increases as you get older. Besides age, other risk factors for cataract include - certain diseases like diabetes - personal behavior like smoking or alcohol use - environmental factors such as prolonged exposure to ultraviolet sunlight. certain diseases like diabetes personal behavior like smoking or alcohol use environmental factors such as prolonged exposure to ultraviolet sunlight.
Source: NIHSeniorHealth

Question: What are the symptoms of Cataract ?
Answer: The most common symptoms of a cataract are - cloudy or blurry vision - colors seem faded - glare -- headlights, lamps, or sunlight appearing too bright, or a halo may appear around lights - poor night vision - double vision or multiple images in one eye - frequent prescription changes in your eyeglasses or contact lenses. cloudy or blurry vision colors seem faded glare -- headlights, lamps, or sunlight appearing too bright, or a halo may appear around lights poor night vision double vision or multiple images in one eye frequent prescription changes in your eyeglasses or contact lenses. These symptoms can also be a sign of other eye problems. If you have any of these symptoms, check with your eye care professional.
Source: NIHSeniorHealth

Question: What is (are) Cataract ?
Answer: Yes. Although most cataracts are related to aging, there are other types of cataract. These include - secondary cataract - traumatic cataract - congenital cataract - radiation cataract. secondary cataract traumatic cataract congenital cataract radiation cataract. Secondary cataracts can form after surgery for other eye problems, such as glaucoma. They also can develop in people who have other health problems, such as diabetes. Secondary cataracts are sometimes linked to steroid use. Traumatic cataracts can develop after an eye injury, sometimes years later. Some babies are born with cataracts or develop them in childhood, often in both eyes. These congenital cataracts may be so small that they do not affect vision. If they do, the lenses may need to be removed. Radiation cataracts can develop after exposure to some types of radiation.
Source: NIHSeniorHealth

Question: Who is at risk for Cataract? ?
Answer: Here are several things you can do to lower your risk for cataract. Have regular eye exams. Eye exams can help detect cataracts and other age-related eye problems at their earliest stages. If you are age 60 or older, you should have a comprehensive dilated eye exam at least once a year. In addition to cataract, your eye care professional can check for signs of age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, and other vision disorders. For many eye diseases, early treatment may save your sight. Quit smoking. Ask your doctor for help to stop smoking. Medications, counseling and other strategies are available to help you. Wear sunglasses. Wear sunglasses that block ultraviolet B (UVB) rays when you're outdoors. Take care of other health problems. Follow your treatment plan if you have diabetes or other medical conditions that can increase your risk of cataracts. Maintain a healthy weight. If your current weight is a healthy one, work to maintain it by exercising most days of the week. If you're overweight or obese, work to lose weight slowly by reducing your calorie intake and increasing the amount of exercise you get each day. Choose a healthy diet. A diet that includes plenty of colorful fruits and vegetables ensures that you're getting a lot of vitamins and nutrients, which in theory could prevent damage to your eye's lens.
Source: NIHSeniorHealth

Question: What are the treatments for Cataract ?
Answer: The symptoms of early cataract may be improved with new eyeglasses, brighter lighting, anti-glare sunglasses, or magnifying lenses. If these measures do not help, surgery is the only effective treatment. Surgery involves removing the cloudy lens and replacing it with an artificial lens.
Source: NIHSeniorHealth

Question: What is (are) Cataract ?
Answer: Yes. There are two types of cataract surgery, phacoemulsification and extracapsular surgery. Your doctor can explain the differences and help determine which is better for you. With phacoemulsification, or phaco, a small incision is made on the side of the cornea, the clear, dome-shaped surface that covers the front of the eye. Your doctor inserts a tiny probe into the eye. This device emits ultrasound waves that soften and break up the lens so that it can be removed by suction. Most cataract surgery today is done by phacoemulsification, also called "small incision cataract surgery." With extracapsular surgery, your doctor makes a longer incision on the side of the cornea and removes the cloudy core of the lens in one piece. The rest of the lens is removed by suction.
Source: NIHSeniorHealth

Question: What is (are) Cataract ?
Answer: National Eye Institute National Institutes of Health 2020 Vision Place Bethesda, MD 20892-3655 301-496-5248 E-mail: 2020@nei.nih.gov www.nei.nih.gov For more information about intraocular lenses, or IOLs, contact: U.S. Food and Drug Administration 10903 New Hampshire Avenue Silver Spring, MD 20993-0002 1-888-463-6332 E-mail: webmail@oc.fda.gov
Source: NIHSeniorHealth