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Cataract
Cataract Causes
Cataracts can be caused by many reasons, with the following common scenarios: First, due to aging factors, as age increases, the proteins in the lens of the eye gradually degenerate, leading to cloudiness and reduced transparency of the lens, ultimately resulting in cataracts. Second, cataracts can be caused by eye trauma, where a significant impact can damage the structure of the lens. Third, they can be caused by chronic inflammation within the eye, such as uveitis or iridocyclitis, where the inflammation leads to the degeneration of lens proteins. Fourth, long-term use of steroid medications can affect the metabolism of lens proteins, thereby leading to the development of cataracts.
What are the early symptoms of cataract?
Early symptoms of cataracts are not obvious in some patients, while others may experience mild blurriness of vision. As the lens becomes cloudier, the blurriness will gradually worsen, and symptoms such as nearsightedness, glare, and double vision may also appear. In advanced stages, some may develop glaucoma, leading to symptoms like eye pain, headache, nausea, and vomiting, and in severe cases, it can cause blindness. Cataracts are a common and prevalent eye disease and are the leading cause of blindness worldwide. The lens, an important optical component of the human eye, is normally transparent. Cataracts can form due to various reasons leading to protein degeneration in the lens, causing it to become cloudy and result in various degrees of vision loss. It is recommended that patients with cataracts regularly visit ophthalmologists and consider cataract removal surgery if necessary.
How is a cataract formed?
Inside the eyeball, there is a relatively important transparent tissue called the lens. Clinically, clouding of the lens is referred to as cataracts. Many factors, such as aging, genetics, metabolic abnormalities like diabetes, trauma, radiation, poisoning, and local nutritional disorders, can lead to damage to the capsule of the lens, increasing its permeability and losing its barrier function, or causing metabolic disturbances in the lens. This can cause the proteins in the lens to denature, leading to cloudiness of the lens, which is known as cataracts. Under a slit lamp microscope, varying degrees of cloudiness in the lens can be observed.
What are the treatment methods for cataracts?
For the treatment of cataracts, the curative method is surgery, as medications generally do not have a curative effect. For early-stage cataracts, medications can control the condition. However, for advanced cataracts, medications are essentially ineffective. Currently, there is no specific drug for treating cataracts, and surgery is the best option. The common surgical methods for cataract are: 1. Intracapsular cataract extraction; 2. Phacoemulsification; The modern technique of extracapsular cataract extraction combined with the implantation of an artificial lens has become the most widely used surgical method and is also a relatively mature technique.
Can cataracts be treated without surgery?
In the early stages of cataracts, if one's vision is still greater than 0.3 and they feel it does not affect daily life, it is possible to initially observe without immediate intervention. If the cataracts have significantly worsened vision and greatly impacted the quality of life, and the severity of the cataracts is considerable, then it is advisable to undergo cataract surgery at an appropriate time. Currently, cataract surgery is very advanced, and the only treatment option for cataracts is surgical intervention, as medication is not very effective.
Postoperative complications of cataract surgery
Complications after cataract surgery are relatively common and include the following types: First, incision leakage, leading to a shallow anterior chamber; Second, pupil block; Third, damage to the corneal endothelium, causing persistent corneal edema, and even bullous keratopathy; Fourth, anterior chamber hemorrhage; Fifth, epithelial implantation in the anterior chamber; Sixth, postoperative uveitis; Seventh, increased intraocular pressure; Eighth, abnormal positioning or dislocation of the intraocular lens; Ninth, macular edema, and retinal detachment can also occur.
Early symptoms of cataracts
The early symptoms of cataracts can manifest as day blindness or night blindness. When the cloudiness of the lens originates from the middle of the eye, the strong daylight and illumination can cause the pupil to contract, which then blocks the light from entering the eye, resulting in day blindness. When the cloudiness of the lens is located around the periphery of the eye, the dim light at night cannot reach the peripheral retina, thus causing night blindness. Other early symptoms of cataracts include the following: when the cloudiness of the lens is located at the pupil, patients may see fixed dots or patches of shadow in front of their eyes. However, since cataracts share similar characteristics with floaters, they should be distinguished; the shadows in floaters can move, while the shadows in cataracts are fixed. Varying degrees of blurry vision are also early symptoms of cataracts. Patients may experience gradually increasing blurriness of vision, often perceiving halos around lights or seeing colors of objects as dull and unclear. The early development of cataracts is quite slow and can be determined by the deepest and most obvious part of the lens cloudiness and its development condition.
Postoperative Care for Cataract Surgery
Post-cataract surgery, it is crucial to maintain eye hygiene. Patients must follow the doctor's orders, regularly use antibiotic eye drops to prevent eye infections, and avoid allowing bacteria to enter the eye and cause intraocular inflammation, a very frightening postoperative complication. If intraocular inflammation occurs, the eye will become red and painful, and vision will significantly decrease, necessitating emergency surgery. Therefore, patients should clean their hands, apply eye drops on time, avoid letting tap water enter the eye, and refrain from rubbing their eyes to prevent reopening the wound and bacterial invasion. After surgery, it is also important to keep bowel movements regular to avoid constipation, which can increase abdominal pressure and cause eye pain due to straining.
What is good to eat for cataracts?
Research shows that cataracts are related to the lack of certain trace elements, vitamin B, vitamin C, and amino acids. Therefore, we should eat more vegetables, fruits, fish, meat, and animal organs that contain the above substances in our diet. The diet should be light, avoiding greasy, heavily salted foods and strong spices. At the same time, smoking and alcohol should be avoided to cultivate good eating habits and maintain balanced nutrition. Additionally, it is important to rest and boost one's immunity, which are beneficial for preventing cataracts and inhibiting their progression.
Is vitreous opacity cataract?
Vitreous opacity and cataract are two different concepts; they are two different diseases. Vitreous opacity occurs when the collagen in the vitreous cavity slowly emulsifies into a turbidity. A cataract occurs when the lens inside the human eye becomes cloudy, forming a cataract. These are two completely different diseases, and their treatment methods are generally different as well. Cataract treatment primarily involves surgery, whereas vitreous opacity, including floaters, does not require surgical treatment.