Cataracts

About Cataracts

Cataracts involve clouding of the lens inside the eye, leading to progressive vision loss. They are a leading cause of blindness worldwide, and WHO estimates that approximately 94 million people have vision impairment or blindness due to cataract. The most common type is age related nuclear sclerotic cataract, affecting nearly everyone over 80 to some degree. Symptoms include blurry or dim vision, faded colors, sensitivity to light and glare, difficulty seeing at night, seeing halos around lights, and frequent changes in eyeglass prescription. Risk factors include age, UV radiation, diabetes, smoking, excessive alcohol, prolonged corticosteroid use, previous eye surgery or injury, and genetic factors. Diagnosis is made through comprehensive eye examination including visual acuity, slit lamp biomicroscopy showing lens opacity, and retinal examination. Treatment is surgical cataract extraction with intraocular lens IOL implantation. Cataract surgery is one of the most commonly performed surgeries, with tens of millions of procedures performed worldwide each year. The surgery is highly successful, and the large majority of patients have improved vision afterwards. Modern techniques include phacoemulsification using ultrasound to break up the lens and femtosecond laser assisted cataract surgery. Premium IOLs can correct astigmatism toric or provide both near and distance vision multifocal, reducing dependence on glasses.