Losing their vision is a nightmare that many face. Cataracts are a very real problem for people of age forty and above. jfW talked to a panel of eminent ophthalmologists to know more about the symptoms and how to deal with them

Studies have shown that cataracts are the most common cause of blindness in people past the age of forty. In most cases, the cataract begins growing once the patient is past the age of forty. However, it becomes a real hindrance only when the patient enters his or her sixties. There is very little one can do to prevent the onslaught of this affliction. But it is important that you recognize the symptoms and work towards fixing the problem. Untreated cataracts can result in total blindness.

Cloudy, with a side of Hazy
To put it simply, a cataract is a ‘clouding’ in the lens of your eye which obstructs your vision. For the most part, cataracts are age related and are very common in older people. Cataracts can appear in one eye or both. They cannot be transmitted and because one eye is afflicted does not mean the other will be.

Why does this affect your vision? Your eye lens is essentially the part of your eye which helps you focus images and light on your retina. If your lens is functioning normally, light should pass through it naturally to the retina. Once it reaches the retina, the light is transformed into nerve signals which carry information to the brain. This is why the lens has to be clear. A cloudy lens will affect the brain’s perception of an image, making it blurry.

There are four main types of cataracts. The first is a secondary cataract which can appear in the eye after a patient has been operated on for another kind of eye problem. This is common in glaucoma patients. Diabetics are also prone to developing cataracts, as are regular steroid consumers. A traumatic cataract develops after a patient has suffered from an eye injury. The cataract does not necessarily develop soon after the injury and in some cases it appears years later. A congenital cataract occurs in newborns. These babies are born with cataracts or develop them early on. Some children develop them in both eyes. In some cases, the cataracts are so small that they do not hurt the child’s vision. In other cases, the lenses have to be removed in order to restore normal vision. Cataracts can also form after the patient has been exposed to some types of radiation.

Going in Blind
Why do cataracts occur? That is a question that many an ophthalmologist has been asked. The lens of the eye is made out of two important elements – protein and water. The protein exists in such quantities that keep the lens clear, allowing light to pass through. However, in some cases, over time, the protein in the lens starts to build up and clump. This will eventually begin to cloud the lens. This is the beginnings of a cataract which can, in time, spread and hamper the vision.

No Smoke without Fire
There are several theories for why people develop cataracts. According to various studies, cataracts are more likely to form in patients who suffer from diabetes. In addition to this, patients who have a long history of smoking and drinking alcohol are more likely to develop cataracts.

There are no concrete, foolproof ways of preventing a cataract from forming. However, there are a few precautions that can delay their growth. For example, studies have shown that prolonged exposure to sunlight can cause cataracts. Therefore, wearing a hat and sunglasses to block out harmful UV rays will help in delaying the formation.

Diet plays an important role in the health of the human body. Fruits, vegetables (particularly leafy greens) and foods that are rich in antioxidants have shown signs of preventing cataract development and growth.

For those who are 60 or older, a proper eye exam with eye dilation should be conducted every two years at the least. This could help you spot not only cataract but also other eye diseases such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, etc.

What to Look For
Lights may suddenly start appearing too bright. And seeing in the dark might become harder. You may even start seeing double. All these are signs that you should go get yourself checked.

Usually blurriness is the first sign, or cloudy if you will. Sometimes colours look faded, when they are not. Unfortunately, initially, these are symptoms that can be easily ignored and in some cases, do not even trigger any worries.

However, a word of warning– If these symptoms are not cataract, they could be the symptoms of other eye related diseases. So do not ignore them, go for a check up and find out what is wrong. Delaying things will only make treatment more cumbersome.

Finding Out
Since some of the earliest symptoms of cataract are so easily dismissed by patients until the problems become more serious, here are three sure fire ways to determine what the issue is, letting you know if the affliction is indeed a cataract.

The first is a visual acuity test, which is a test which involves an eye chart that measures how well a patient can see over various distances. The dilated eye exam is fairly simple. The ophthalmologist will dilate the eye and use a special type of magnifying glass to examine the retina for any problems. The only side effect is that afterwards, for a few hours, your vision will be blurred. The third kind of test makes use of tonometry. This is the practice of using an instrument that measures the pressure that is inside your eye. To perform this test, the patient is usually given numbing drops.

Seeing the Light
The early symptoms caused by cataract can be improved by purchasing new glasses, by using brighter lighting and by wearing anti-glare sunglasses when the weather is sunny. Surgery is also considered an effective means of treatment. The surgery will basically remove the lens that has become clouded and replace it with an artificially made lens. The surgery is now a standard kind of procedure. There are many revolutionary procedures cropping up in this field and it is becoming very common for people to have these surgeries.

Pull Out For the most part, cataracts are age related and are very common in older people. Cataracts can appear in one eye or both. They cannot be transmitted and because one eye is afflicted does not mean the other will be. For those who are 60 or older, a proper eye exam with eye dilation should be conducted every two years at the least. This could help you spot not only cataract but also other eye diseases such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, etc.