Q1. What is cataract?

There is a lens inside our eyeball located in the back of our pupil. Its function is to focus light and project image onto our retina to generate clear images. The lens is clear and transparent with its nature ; however when becomes clouding, light is either partially or completely blocked which creates burry vision; and such condition is cataract formation.

Q2. How is cataract developed? Is aging a sole factor?

There is no definitive cause for cataract and one thing to be sure of is the chemical change of lens generating turbidity. Aging is a common attribution; moreover, there are eye trauma, eye diseases, systemic diseases, hereditary diseases, and congenital anomaly to be blamed. As people age, senile cataract kicks in the system, luckily it does not affect elder people. There are also people with the disease at age 40 or at birth, which is incurred by infection or inflammation during the pregnancy. Trauma like hitting, stabbing, cutting, electric shock, and chemical burn also canse cataract. Drugs like steroid or diseases like diabetes are trigger secondary cataract.

Q3. What are the symptoms other than blurred vision?

Though cataract does not hurt or itch, in sidiously decreases people’s vision. For some, they feel their declined vision but not to others; this is attributed to the severity of the condition and affected area. If the rim of the lens is affected, there is no obvious symptom; when the affected area involves the center of lens, there would be symptoms like blurred or double vision, photophobia, loss of color sensation, and necessity of changing glasses frequently. If lens absorb excessive water, it could incur severe myopia or near-sighted. When cataract is severe enough, a person’s vision could no longer be corrected by glasses; and his or her pupils would turn white or light yellow.

Q4. How is cataract treated? Does it work to use eye drops?

There is no medicine for cataract and eye drops is just delay its progression; the only  treatment is surgical excision. When patients are troubled by cataract with daily routines or work that interfere their quality of life, it is time for surgery despite the visual acuity and ripeness of the cataract.

Q5. What is cataract surgery?

Such surgery is performed with general or local anesthesia to extract turbid lenses with microscopic technology. Once lenses are extracted, surgeons would insert artificial intraocular ocular lenses with fraction to replace original lenses; this is the most popular approach so far. Also heavy glasses and contact lenses are alternative means to surgery.

Q6. What is the successful rate of cataract lens extraction?

Despite high technology and artificial intraocular ocular lenses, the success of operation relies heavily on how healthy the eyes are especially the condition of retina and optic nerve. There is 95% successful rate, and there is no 100% successful rate because of inevitable complications.

Q7. Can we blind if we left cataract untreated?

With end-stage cataract, patients often suffer from bad vision that interferes their coping with routines; also cataract could induce secondary glacuma and iriditis, so they will eventually blind if there is no treatment.

Q8. Could cataract be treated by laser?

Laser treatment is mostly inapplicable but for post cataract, surgeons use it to eliminate thickened posterior lens that interferes a person’s vision.

Q9. Can cataract be treated by ultrasound?

When patients are troubled by lens emulsification, doctors use ultrasonowave to emulsify lens cortex; its advantages include smaller wounds, faster recovery, and lower astigmatic risks. The operation involves melting intraocular emulsified lens cortex, sucking it out with a probe, and inserting artificial intraocular lens.

Q10. Could cataract be prevented?

There is no medicine for cataract prevention, so doctors often prescribe eye drops, pills, foods, and stickers to help delay progression of cataract.