Cataracts are a common eye condition that affects millions of people worldwide. They develop when the lens of the eye becomes cloudy or opaque, interfering with vision. While cataracts are often associated with aging, they can also be caused by other factors, such as diabetes, smoking, and exposure to ultraviolet radiation.
This blog post will provide a comprehensive overview of cataracts, including their causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment options. We will also discuss the cost of cataract surgery in India and the post-operative care involved. By understanding cataracts and seeking timely medical attention, you can improve your vision and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
What Are Cataracts?
Cataracts are a common eye ailment in which the lens of an individual’s eye becomes fuzzy or distorted and unclear slowly over time. The lens of the eye focuses light onto the retina to create a clear image, but cataracts cause the lens to become cloudy over time, leading to vision problems. Cataracts form over time and produce a hazy or bleached-out look that interferes and alters light as it passes through the lens and, as such, causes blurring of vision or a decrease in vision.
Types Of Cataracts
It includes:
1. Nuclear Cataracts:
Location: These cataracts develop in the center or nuclear region of the lens.
Characteristics: In one’s eyes, they cause the lens to turn yellow or brown making it hard to see at night or even get a change in color vision.
2. Cortical Cataracts:
These form along the outer edges or cortex of the lens. They are rounded, white, sculptured opacities that may migrate centrally and marginally.
Characteristics: This type of cataract tends to affect patients’ ability to see clearly in lighted environments or even in normal illumination where contrast ratios are high. They can also influence one’s side vision.
3. Posterior subcapsular cataracts:
Location: These are forming at the back of the lens, in front of the retina.
Characteristics: These tend to develop more rapidly and have been reported to considerably compromise vision when in light conditions such as the night or during the day, presumably when reading.
What are the Symptoms of Cataract?
Cataract’s symptoms may appear slowly, and therefore people may not observe any vision changes, although the cataracts are already developed. Common symptoms of Cataract include:
Blurred or Hazy Vision: A vision becomes less clear, and this interferes with some of the normal tasks that individuals can accomplish, such as reading or even driving.
Double Vision: Some people may experience double vision, where objects appear to be duplicated or overlapping.
Sensitivity to Light: One aspect of photo-tolerance can be the annoyance in terms of light sensitivity, especially at night.
Glare: Direct vision from the headlights from streetlights or sunlight becomes uneasy.
Frequent Changes in Eyeglass Prescriptions: Eye correction devices will have to be altered and adjusted very often because of changing vision.
What are the Causes of cataracts?
While cataracts are commonly associated with aging, various factors can contribute to their development:
Aging: Aging is also the primary cause of cataracts because, as the lens ages, it begins to harden and become more opaque.
Diabetes: Patients with diabetes are considered to be more vulnerable because high glucose in the fluid surrounding the lens hampers light transmission.
Smoking: Cataracts are formed through oxidative stress and inflammation that is caused by tobacco use.
Exposure to Ultraviolet Radiation: It is also a known fact that frequent exposure to ultraviolet light that is in the sun can also lead to cataracts.
Eye Injuries: The secondary effects of eye trauma may display themselves in the form of cataracts years after the incidence of the trauma.
Certain Medications: Prolonged or high-dose use of steroids has been linked to the development of cataracts and other eye complications.
How is Cataract Diagnosed?
The diagnosis of cataracts mainly occurs through an eye examination by a qualified ophthalmologist. The process may include:
Visual Acuity Test: How well you can see close objects and those that are far away, depending on the measure of the parameter.
Slit-Lamp Examination: This entails the use of a special microscope to assess the eye’s structure, including the lens.
Retinal Exam: A comprehensive eye checkup should involve dilation of the eyes so that examination of the retinas and the degree of cataract development of the lens can be established.
Tonometry: Checks the pressure inside the eye to eliminate glaucoma.
What are the Treatment Options for Cataract ?
It is important to note that the main approach that is utilized in the management of cataracts is through the use of surgery. Thus, cataract surgery is suggested when a cataract hampers the life of a person and affects his or her routine.
Cataract Surgery:
Procedure: It involves the partial or complete extraction of the lens in the eye and replacement by an artificial lens known as the intraocular lens (IOL). The operation is generally done on an ambulatory basis and with the patient under local anesthesia.
Types of IOLs:
Monofocal IOLs: Furnish clear vision at a particular distance, typically used for distance vision.
Multifocal IOLs: Enabling seeing at many ranges, glasses are not needed a lot of times.
Toric IOLs: Designed to treat both cataracts and astigmatism, providing clearer vision for patients with both conditions.
Success Rate: Cataract surgery is one of the most successful surgeries wherein the rate of complication is very low. The patients are normally left with improved vision after the surgery.
Cost of Cataract Surgery in India
Cataract surgery in India is generally more affordable compared to many other countries, making it an attractive option for those seeking quality care at a lower cost. Factors influencing the cost include:
Type of Lens: Standard monofocal lenses as well as multifocal or toric IOLs may be more expensive than the usual ones.
Hospital or Clinic: There may be a variance in price according to the hospital and the number of amenities and reputation of the hospital.
Surgeon’s Experience: This is because other surgeons with more experience in the operating room may also be expensive to hire.
Additional Services: They could include arrangements for a preliminary consultation before the procedures as well as additional charges for the patients’ treatment and checkups after the surgery.
Estimated Cost of Cataract Surgery in India:
Standard cataract surgery: A little from ₹20,000 to ₹40,000 per each of their eyes.
Premium IOLs: To have the php in the eyes costs between Rs. 50,000 and Rs. 80,000, depending on the type of lens to be implanted.
Post-Surgery Care and Recovery
Key aspects of post surgery care include:
Eye Drops:
This should be done by using the eye drops given by the doctor in a bid to prevent infection and inflammation. Patients typically need to apply these prescribed eye drops for several weeks to prevent infection and inflammation.
Activity Restrictions:
If the treatment plan includes surgery, then one should refrain from heavy exercise and lifting for several weeks. Keep your eye safe from water, dust, and any foreign object that poses potential harm to your eye.
Follow-Up Appointments:
Go for checkups that your ophthalmologist may recommend after the operation to ascertain whether the eye is healing as is supposed to.
Vision Adjustment:
You need to wait for some time for your vision to clear up. You may require getting a new pair of eyeglasses or contact lenses to gain the best possible vision.
Conclusion
Cataracts are a type of eye disease that affects vision, and can be treated if they are diagnosed in time. Although they are known to develop with age, other causes can be attributed to their development. This is because cataract surgery is still highly effective, with a post-surgery success rate above 90 percent and several approaches to choose from.
Cataracts are a common thing, and if you begin experiencing their symptoms, it is advisable to speak with an ophthalmologist to see whether he or she will advise surgery or not. While cataracts primarily affect adults, early intervention and treatment can also address vision problems in children, ensuring proper eye development.
