Cataracts
What is a cataract?
A cataract is an area of opaqueness (cloudiness) in the lens of the eye. This is inevitable, to some degree, as we get older. Everyone has some degree of cataract by the time they are 80 and 2 out of 3 people before they are 60. The other causes of cataract are inherited.
What are the causes of cataract?
Most Australians are aware that too much exposure to sunlight can cause skin cancer. Less well known is the fact that excessive sunlight is also implicated in the formation of cataracts.
Other causes of cataract are diabetic complications, injury to the eye, chronic inflammation in the eye and the use of steroid drugs for a prolonged time.
What are the symptoms of cataracts?
The only problem caused by cataracts is that they interfere with vision. Typically, sufferers complain about difficulty in reading, recognising faces and watching television.
What is the treatment for cataracts?
The only treatment for a cataract is an operation. The damaged lens is literally removed and usually an artificial lens is inserted in its place. The operation is painless, may be done under local anaesthetic and requires only a short stay in hospital. Drops may be needed for some time afterwards and strenuous activity should be avoided.
The decision to operate depends entirely on how much the cataract interferes with vision.
If you are in your 60s or beyond and your vision is deteriorating, a cataract operation may be the thing that will transform your life. Avoiding too much sunlight, and wearing a good pair of sunglasses in your younger years, may help you avoid the need for an operation.
Last Reviewed: 24 August 2005
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