Cataract Surgery

Cataracts are cloudy areas in the lens inside the eye - which is normally clear. According to Med lexicon’s medical dictionary, cataract is "Complete or partial opacity of the ocular lens." Cataracts can develop in one or both eyes. If they develop in both eyes, one will be more severely affected than the other. A normally clear lens allows light to pass through to the back of the eye, so that the patient can see well-defined images. If a part of the lens becomes opaque light does not pass through easily and the patient's vision becomes blurry - like looking through cloudy water or a fogged-up window.

Types of Cataracts

• Age-related cataracts: Develop as a result of aging.
• Congenital cataracts: Babies may be born with cataracts due to infection, injury, or poor development before birth, or they may develop during childhood.
• Secondary cataracts: Caused by other medical conditions like diabetes, exposure to toxic substances, certain drugs (such as corticosteroids or diuretics), ultraviolet light, or radiation.
• Traumatic cataracts: Form after an injury to the eye.

What Are the Symptoms of Cataracts?

Cataracts usually form slowly and cause few symptoms until they significantly block light. When symptoms occur, they may include:

• Cloudy, blurry, foggy, or filmy vision.
• Progressive nearsightedness in older adults, often called "second sight."
• Changes in color perception due to the discolored lens acting as a filter.
• Glare issues while driving at night, such as sensitivity to headlights.
• Increased glare sensitivity during the day.
• Double vision (appearing as a superimposed image).
• Frequent changes in glasses prescription.

Treatment for Cataracts

The only effective treatment for cataracts is surgery. The goal of cataract surgery is to remove the cloudy natural lens and replace it with an artificial lens. The different types of cataract surgeries include:

• Phacoemulsification Surgery (PHACO): A modern and commonly performed cataract surgery.
• Manual Small Incision Cataract Surgery (MSICS): A cost-effective and widely used technique.
• Extracapsular Cataract Extraction (ECCE): Removal of the lens while keeping the capsule intact.
• Intracapsular Cataract Extraction (ICCE): Complete removal of the lens along with the surrounding capsule.