Brookings register. (Brookings, S.D.) 1890-1894, 1894-05-04
A cATARAcT ON The EYE.
How It's Progress May BE Arrested and
How 1t Is Treated.


How 1t Is Treated.
The term cataract" is often ap-
piled to all visible opacities and
white spots about the eyes, but prop
erly it is limited to an opacity occu-
pying the area of the pupil and re-
sulting from a change in the structure
of the lens. The lens is the most i'm
portant of the transparent media Of
the eye, and it is the agent by which
the rays proceeding from luminous
bodies are brought to focus on the
retina and by means of which a pic
ture of the outside world is formed
on this membrane. 1t is COMPOSED
of fibers which are interlocked with
each other in such way as TO form
continuous layer. There are many
layers, so that the lens resembles an
onion in miniature. 1t is about one
third of an inch in diameter and one
fifth of an inch thick and is perfect
ly transparent, rejecting no light.
A cataract consists in the breaking
down of the fibers of the lens. These
first become finely dotted with fat
drops of microscopic size, which,
after a time, run together to form
larger drops, strongly rejecting
light. The tibers at length rupture,
so that they can no longer be traced
under the microscope, and in their
place are fat drops and chalky parti-
cles. 1t is to these, SO to speak, for
eign substances as we'll as to the al
tered disposition of the regular lay
ers of the healthy lens that the white
aspect of the lens in cataract is due.
AS a rule cataracts form slowly.
That form which results from injury
as from direct blows on the eye,
the penetration of the eye by the
point of a needle, knife, pair of
scissors or a thOrn-is rapid in its de-
velopment. 1t is due to the admis-
sion of the aqueous humor to the
substance of the lens and to the
swelling up of its tissue. Such cases
require immediate and skilled medi-
cal and surgical treatment But the
ordinary form of cataract is slow in
it's progress 1t usually commences
in one eye, which may be so gradual
ly affected as to be unnOticed by the
patient until his attention is sudden
ly awakened to the defect of his Wis
ion, when, on closing the healthy
eye, he attempts to look through the
telescope with it or by observing
that he is unable to judge accurately
of distances The vision is often pre-
served when the cataract is far ad-
vanced, for the changes described oc-
cur in bars and patches, leaving por-
tions of the lens clear and transpar-
ent, and through these, as through
latticework, the patients often see
fairly well-quite well enough to
read or write. No means except
operation are known by which cat
aract, when once fairly formed, can
be removed. But inasmuch as it is
capable of being hastened in it's prog
ress by circumstances unfavorable
to the general health, so it may be
delayed by general attention to the
constitution.
Good food, regular exercise, sound
and uninterrupted sleep, a quiet
mind and the avoidance Of all work
that may strain the eye would be the
best means for delaying, or perhaps
temporarily arresting, the progress of
a cataract. If, however, it still con-
tinues to advance, an operation is
the only remedy, and this consists in
the removal of the lens or in its solu-
ton by the natural fluids of the eye
after the investing capsule has been
divided by needle. The latter 4.
method is that usually adopted In
children, the former in those occur
ring at an advanced period of life.
The operation i-@elf, though requir-
ing much skill and knowledge, as
we'll as constant practice, on the
part of the operator, is not in itself
severe one, and the high interest
which attaches to it is dependent on
the Importance of the issue rather
than on any difficulty or danger in
its performance.-New York Ledger.
The Savage's Proverbs.
The proverbs of savages are shrewd