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YOUR GUIDE TO BETTER EYE CARE
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CATARACT & OTHER EYE DIASEASES INFO:
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Few major conditions that affect the eyes are CATARACT, GLAUCOMA, MACULAR DEGENERATION & DIABETIC RETINOPATHY.These are also major causes of blindness.We have listed below some useful INFO about these conditions.
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www.EYES info.com
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CATARACT:
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What is cataract?
The human eye has a part situated just behind the pupil called as LENS that helps to focus on diffrent objects enabling us to see clearly.When this lens gets opaque or cloudy, thus causing blurred vision, the condition is called CATARACT.This cloudiness of lens occurs usually due to ageing or sometimes due to other conditions like injury or diabetes.
LENS ANATOMY:
The lens is located behind the Iris,coloured portion of the eye & the pupil the dark portion of the eye. The lens has three parts, 1. The capsule 2.The nucleus & 3.The cortex. The outer membrane or the capsule surrounds the cortex. Which in turn surrounds the centre called as nucleus.
If you imagine the LENS as a piece of fruit the capsule is the skin, the cortex is the fleshy fruit. & the nucleus is the central seed.
Symptoms of Cataract
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If you have a catarct, you may be experiencing any of the following symptoms.
1.Painless blurring of vision.
2.Sensitivity to light & glare specially in bright sunlight or while driving at night.
3.Increase short sightedness & you may require frequent changes in your eyeglass prescription.
4.Distortion of images & coloured halos.
Types of Cataract
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There are three types of Cataracts
1) Nuclear Cataract
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The most common type associated with aging & affects the centre of the lens. The common complaints are blurring of vision glare & visual distortion.
2.The Cortical Cataract:
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Begins as wedge shaped spokes in cortex of the lens.The spokes extend from outside of the lens to the centre.When these spokes reach the centre they interfere with the transmission of the light & causes glare & loss of contrast.It usually develops slowly it may interfere with distance & near vision.
3.Sub-capsular Cataract:
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Develops slowly & starts as small opacity just beneath the capsule of the lens, usually at the back of the lens.Vision problems do not develop till late.This type of cataract is often found in people with diabetes, high myopes & people on long term steroid therapy.
TREATMENT OF CATARACT
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The catarct may not need any treatment till it starts affecting your vision significantly.Change in your glass prescription may improve your vision for short period.The only way to remove cataract is by surgical removal of cataract.Cataract can not be removed with laser.Surgery involves removing the cloudy lens from the eye.In most cases the focusing power of the natural lens is restored by replacing it with a permanent intra ocular lens implant.
TECHNIQUES OF CATARACT SURGERY:
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Cataract surgery is not only one of the most frequently performed surgery, it is also one of the most consistently successful surgery.Over 90% of the people who undergo cataract surgery regain useful vision somewhere between 20/40 to 20/20.
1.Extra capsular cataract extraction technique:
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The surgeon makes small incision in the eye ( at the part where the cornea meets the sclera ) Carefully entering the eye through the incision the surgeon gently opens the front surface of the lens called anterior lens capsule, and removes the hard centre called nucleus of the lens. Using very small microscopic instruments the surgeon then suctions out the cortex of the lens, the soft part that surrounds the nucleus, and leaves the posterior capsule in place.Then he puts the plastic IOL or Intra Ocular Lens Implant.The incision then is sutured back with a very fine suture material.
2.Phacoemulsification:
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It is the modification of the extra capsular technique. In this the nucleus is fragmented by an ultra sonic oscillating porbe.The nucleus fragments are simultaneously suctioned out from the eye with the phaco machine.Also the cortex is suctioned out till the complete cataract is out. Then as per the previous technique a Lens Implant or IOL is inserted & the incision is sutured.
What Can I Expect If I decide to have surgery?
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Before Surgery
Once You and your opthalmologist (eye physician and surgeon)have decided that you will have your cataract removed, a physical examination is necessary so that he or she may be alerteed to any special medical risks.
The day of surgery:
Surgery is usually done on an outpatient basis. You may be asked to skip breakfast, depending on the time of your surgery. Upon arrival for surgery, you will be given eye drops, and perhaps medications to help you relax. A local anethetic will make the operation painless. Though you may see light and movement, you will not be able to see the surgery while its happening, and will not have to worry about keeping your eye open or closed. The skin around your eye will be thoroughly cleansed, and sterile ring will be placed around your head. When the operation is over, the surgeon will usually place a shield over your eye. After a short stay in the outpatient recovery area, you will be ready to go home.You should plan to have someone else drive you home.
Following Surgery.
You will need
* USe the eye drops as prescribed
* Be careful not to rub or press on your eye
* Avoid very strenous activities until the eye has healed
* Wear sunglasses, eyeglasses or shield as advisedby your doctor.
When is the Laser Used?
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The posterior capsule sometimes turns cloudy several months or years after the original operation. If this blurs your vision, a clear opening can be made painlessly in the center of the membrane with a laser. Laser surgery is never part of the original cataract operation.
Will Cataract surgery improve my vision?
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Over 95% of cataract surgeries improve vision, but a small number of patients may have problems. Symptoms including infection, bleeding and swelling or detachment of the rtina are some of the more serious complications that may affect your vision. Call your opthalmologist immediately if you have any of the following symptoms after surgery.
Pain not relieved by nonprescription pain medication;Loss of vision; Nausea, vomitting or excessive coughing; Injury to the eye.
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