At the front of the eye, behind the pupil, is the lens. It is transparent and clear, so that light can easily pass through it, onto the retina. This allows us to see images sharply. In cataracts, the lens of the eye becomes cloudy. In that case, the light can no longer reach the retina properly and your vision becomes blurry. There are 3 different types of cataracts: cataracts that are congenital, cataracts of old age and cataracts due to illness or trauma. Old-age cataracts are the most common. About 3% of people in the age group of 55 to 65 years have cataracts. This percentage grows to 20% among 85-year-olds.
Causes of cataracts
As we age, proteins in the lens can clump together. This causes the lens to become cloudy. This is the initiator of senile cataracts. But there are also hereditary factors. Cataracts are then congenital and can cause symptoms at a young age. Hereditary cataracts are therefore often congenital, but congenital cataracts do not have to be hereditary. It can also arise during pregnancy, for example.
An internal eye infection can also be the reason that someone has cataracts. It also occurs in people with diabetes, but also in people who drink, smoke, eat unhealthy food or see too much sunlight. It can also be the result of certain medications, such as anti-inflammatories. An accident in which the eye is damaged can also be a cause, and lastly, gender is an important factor: women are more likely to develop cataracts than men.
Diagnose
You have blurred vision, but do you also have cataracts? To be sure, an ophthalmologist or optometrist examines the eyes with a slit lamp. This lamp shines a bright and narrow beam of light directly into the eye. This allows the front part of the eye, including the lens, to be viewed. The optometrist or ophthalmologist will then check whether there are any cloudiness in the lens of the eye. In addition, he or she looks at the health of the eyes.
Preventing or treating cataracts
Can cataracts be prevented? No, not that. But the chance can be reduced. What should you do? Healthy living is important. So don’t smoke, eat healthy and don’t drink too much. In addition, you should always wear sunglasses in bright sunlight. Once you have cataracts, treatment is possible. If you have starting cataracts, you can manage just fine in the beginning with a magnifying glass, extra light or glasses. When that is no longer sufficient, cataract surgery is required. The cloudy lens is replaced by a clear artificial lens. Surgery is only performed when the eye condition causes problems in daily life. Without treatment there will be a progressive decrease in vision.
Libelle editors Rosa and Ruby learned what it’s like to live with an eye condition:
Source: Eye fund