What Is Cataract? How Is It Treated?

What Is Cataract?

Cataract is the lens inside the eye losing its transparency and blocking vision like a curtain.

Why Does Cataract Develop?

There is a clear lens inside the eye, made of protein. With age, the proteins in the lens start to clump together and the lens loses its transparency. This loss of transparency is called “cataract”.

Who Gets Cataract?

Cataract is not seen only in older people. It can also be seen in newborn babies, in people with diabetes, after eye injuries, in people taking steroid (cortisone) medication, and in people with rheumatic and muscle diseases.

What Are the Symptoms of Cataract?

Symptoms of cataract include reduced vision, glare and scattering of light around lights, double vision, difficulty reading, difficulty distinguishing colours and frequent changes in the spectacle prescription.

How Is Cataract Treated?

Today the only treatment for cataract is surgery; there is no treatment with eye drops or medication. Cataract surgery is called “phacoemulsification”, or “phaco” for short. A femtosecond laser can also be used during cataract surgery, in which case the operation is known as “femto-phaco” or “femto-cataract surgery”.

What Is the Success Rate of Cataract Surgery?

Vision begins to improve within the first few days after cataract surgery. If there is no other disease in the eye that impairs vision, “full” vision is expected after the operation. However, as with any operation, cataract surgery carries risks such as infection or the need for a second operation.

Can Cataract Surgery Be Done at Any Age?

With congenital cataract, surgery is needed when the baby is 1–1.5 months old. Adults can have cataract surgery at any age.