If for some reason the natural lens loses its clarity i.e. becomes cloudy, light rays are blocked from entering the eye. This results in impaired vision. This clouding of the lens is called a cataract.
Cataracts can occur for various reasons. One of these is age-related cataract. Cataracts occur naturally with age. Cataracts can occur in younger people for various reasons. Cataracts can be caused by trauma, birth defects, inflammation of the eye, various types of radiation or micro/microwave radiation, diabetes and other metabolic disorders, various medications such as steroids etc.
Even a baby can be born with cataracts. Cataracts are also observed at birth or immediately after due to any inflammation of the mother during pregnancy, especially virus infection such as rubella, toxoplasma etc. or due to any genetic or chromosomal defect in the fetus during pregnancy. It is called congenital or developmental cataract.
Regardless of the cause of the cataract, there is no difference in treatment. The treatment for all types of cataracts is the same and that is cataract surgery. Cataract surgery is the replacement of an artificial lens by surgically replacing the opaque lens or cataract surgery. Cataract surgery is needed when one's normal activities are disrupted, such as reading, driving, seeing circles of light, double vision, to treat the retina and macula, and to prevent cataract complications. Cataract surgery should be done on time and delay may lead to complications and delayed surgery may not yield the desired results.
Everyone suffers from different indecision while undergoing cataract surgery. The first indecision that comes to mind is whether or not to do the operation for now or how long to wait. Will there be any harm in late operation? Complications may occur if the cataract is present for a long time. For example: sudden increase in eye pressure, severe pain and red eyes, and vision loss. This is called phacolytic glaucoma. Vision can be permanently lost within hours if not treated quickly. In that case, normal vision will not return even after surgery. Therefore, it is better to get cataract surgery as soon as possible under the advice of an ophthalmologist.
In the case of cataracts in children, the matter is more complicated. Babies have very little vision at birth and it takes a long time for the baby's eyes to fully mature after birth. It appears that eyesight takes four to six years to fully develop. The retina needs light to develop. The function of light is to enter the eye and stimulate the nerves. For some reason, such as cataracts, if the light entering the eye is obstructed, vision cannot develop because the retina cannot be stimulated. This inability to develop vision is called amblyopia. If this obstruction, i.e. cataract, is not corrected immediately after birth, the path of light entering the eye is not facilitated, there is a possibility of permanent blindness. So it is better to get cataract surgery done as soon as possible in children. It is best to have the operation done before the children reach the age of 2 years. Cataracts in children, if not operated on time, can cause problems like amblyopia or permanent blindness, such as squint and nystagmus.
The thought that pops up in everyone's mind is whether the operation will make them look as good as before or not. Especially those who have comorbidities such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart or kidney problems, cancer etc. It is not possible to tell quickly what the cataract will look like after surgery. Cataract surgery is essentially the removal of the obstruction to light entering the eye by replacing the opaque lens.
If there are no other eye problems, I can assume that you will see well after the operation. However, it is different for those who have diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney problems etc. Many of these patients may have complications in other organs of the body as well as problems with the eye screen or retina. Older people with pre-existing retinal problems may have some vision problems after cataract surgery. In that case, it is necessary to do a thorough examination before the operation. If such a possibility is foreseen, the patient must be informed in advance.
There are other eye problems. For example, glaucoma, macular degeneration, blood vessel and bleeding problems, optic nerve problems, etc. where there is a possibility of not seeing well even after the operation. In this case, the patient should discuss the matter with the ophthalmologist in detail.
The eyes are yours, you have to make the decision when cataracts are detected. The decision should be taken in consultation with an ophthalmologist
