Do You Need Cataract Surgery?

By Author: Retinasurgeon
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Cataracts are the clouding of the eyes natural lens. The lens lies just behind the iris and pupil. They often develop in both eyes, sometimes only affecting the one eye. Most cataracts are part of the natural ageing process, usually occurring after the age of forty. Cataracts are the leading cause of vision loss in the world, but they can be treated.

Cataracts form as part of the ageing process, when the proteins that make the eyes lens get clumped together, causing cloudiness. Over time they grow larger and cloud more of the lens, in turn, this makes it difficult to see clearly.

The lens in the eye works like a camera lens, it focuses light into the retina, providing you with clear vision. It also helps to adjust the focus of the eye, so we can see things close and far. The lens comprises of protein and water with protein arranged in a way that helps the lens remain clear and allow the light to pass to the retina.

There is no concrete evidence on why our eye lenses change with age and form cataracts. Some researchers, who have researched this eye condition, feel that advancing age is the leading cause, ...
... followed by diabetes, hypertension, smoking, obesity, prolonged use of corticosteroid medications and statin medicines, which are used to reduce cholesterol.

Other causes include previous eye surgery, previous eye injury, hormone replacement therapy and significant alcohol consumption. All cataracts start out small and have very little, if any effect on your vision. The symptoms can take months, even years before you notice some blurring in your vision. They progress at different rates in each eye, which often results in symptoms only showing in one eye, while the other remains normal.

Symptoms associated with cataracts includes light being too glare or bright, your eyes become more sensitive to light, you find that you become night blind with headlights causing more of a glare. Other symptoms include double vision, dull colours and blurred or cloudy vision. On the outside, someone looking into your eyes, will see the pupil looking a light grey rather than black.

There are more than one type of cataract, yet they are all treated the same way, with cataract surgery. Nuclear cataracts are the most common, forming in the centre of the lens and worsening over time. Cortical cataracts are spoke like and start at the edge of the lens, growing towards the centre, while congenital cataracts are present at birth, either in one or both eyes. They are small with little effect on vision.

Trauma induced cataracts can form anywhere on the lens, while posterior sub capsular cataracts develop on the central back surface of the cataract, they tend to also grow faster with bright colours and light being affected.

Cataract surgery is offered once the patients vision becomes blurred and impacts their daily life. This is a low risk procedure that helps restore vision. It is simple, painless and helps to regain clear vision. It is a very successful procedure that is carried out by an ophthalmologist and can take less than an hour in the surgery.

Patients return to their homes for recovery, following the ophthalmologists instructions to ensure fast healing. Unfortunately there is no known way to stop cataracts, everyone is at risk as they age. But there are ways to slow their progression, which includes wearing sunglasses during the day to protect the eyes from the sun's UV rays to stopping smoking.

About Us: Mahi Muqit is a leading consultant ophthalmologist, cataract and vitreoretinal surgeon at two private clinics in London, United Kingdom. He provides patients with superior service and support with a range of surgical procedures to meet their eye sight requirements. He has built up a solid reputation for his eye services in the London area as an expert eye doctor and surgeon offering surgical retina, medical retina and complex cataract surgery. He also offers surgery to patients suffering from diabetic retinopathy. Mahi Muqit is a member of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists, a member of the British and Eire Association of Vitreoretinal Surgeons and the UK and Ireland Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons. To find out more, visit http://www.retinasurgeon.uk.com