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| UNIVERSITY OPHTHALMOLOGY CONSULTANTS |
|
WHAT
IS A CATARACT?
The
lens of the eye is a transparent structure that bends
incoming light so that it comes to focus on the retina
as an image that the brain can perceive. If the lens
becomes clouded, light rays are blocked from reaching
the retina, and images appear blurred or hazy. This
opacification
of the lens is called a cataract.
It occurs when a change in the chemical composition
of the lens causes the lens to lose its transparency.
Aging (senile cataracts), heredity, eye trauma, eye
disease (for example, glaucoma), and certain conditions
such as diabetes are factors that can bring about this
change.
Symptoms of cataracts may include blurring or dimming
of vision and sensitivity to light and glare. An ophthalmologist
can diagnose a cataract during a complete eye examination
in which a slit lamp biomicroscope is used to observe
areas in the eye that appear hazy or spotty. If visual
loss becomes significant, the only treatment modality
is surgical removal of
the affected lens. After administering
a local anesthetic, the surgeon makes an incision at
the outer edge of the cornea, removes the lens, and
replaces it with a clear plastic intraocular lens (IOL).
After surgery, most patients achieve normal vision.
If a lens implant is not appropriate, a
contact lens or an aphakic
spectacle (cataract eyeglasses) may
be prescribed after surgery to replace the removed lens
and restore useful vision.
| WHAT IS A CATARACT? | ||
|
The lens of the eye is a transparent structure that bends incoming light so that it comes to focus on the retina as an image that the brain can perceive. If the lens becomes clouded, light rays are blocked from reaching the retina, and images appear blurred or hazy. This opacification of the lens is called a cataract. It occurs when a change in the chemical composition of the lens causes the lens to lose its transparency. Aging (senile cataracts), heredity, eye trauma, eye disease (for example, glaucoma), and certain conditions such as diabetes are factors that can bring about this change. Symptoms of cataracts may include blurring or dimming of vision and sensitivity to light and glare. An ophthalmologist can diagnose a cataract during a complete eye examination in which a slit lamp biomicroscope is used to observe areas in the eye that appear hazy or spotty. If visual loss becomes significant, the only treatment modality is surgical removal of the affected lens. After administering a local anesthetic, the surgeon makes an incision at the outer edge of the cornea, removes the lens, and replaces it with a clear plastic intraocular lens (IOL). After surgery, most patients achieve normal vision. If a lens implant is not appropriate, a contact lens or an aphakic spectacle (cataract eyeglasses) may be prescribed after surgery to replace the removed lens and restore useful vision.
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