Cataract: causes, symptoms and treatment of the disease

Катаракта: причины, симптомы и лечение заболевания

Cataract is an eye disease in which the lens responsible for the refraction of light loses its transparency. As a result, vision deteriorates, and over time, a person can become completely blind. According to statistics, 45% of cases of acquired blindness are associated with cataracts. Risks increase with age. Almost all older people over 80 years of age suffer from this disease. Each of s faces can encounter a problem, so it to understand the causes, treatment of cataracts.

Why does the lens of the eye lose transparency
When to go to the doctor: symptoms of the initial stage of the disease
Peculiarities of diagnosis and treatment of eye disease
About causes, symptoms and treatment of cataracts

Why does the lens of the eye lose transparency

Distinguish between congenital and acquired disease. Approximately 1 out of 10,000 babies is born with cataracts in the eyes. This may be due to heredity or peculiarities of intrauterine development. Often, cataracts affect newborns whose mothers took steroid hormones, psychotropic substances, or drank alcohol. Causes of congenital cataracts in a child may be infectious or inflammatory diseases of the mother during pregnancy.

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Cataracts can be caused by:

Hereditary predisposition. If the disease was in parents, it is more likely to occur in children. It's a matter of time.
Intoxication. Cataracts can occur after drug or infectious intoxication.
Violation of metabolic processes in the body. at risk — patients with diabetes mellitus, people who have problems with the thyroid gland, kidneys.
Avitaminosis. Lack of vitamins leads to numerous diseases, incl. cataract.
Eye injury. If the damage is serious, the consequences can be the most unpleasant.
Age. The first signs of cataracts may appear already after 40 years, and by 70-80 years, a person partially or completely loses his sight if he does not receive proper treatment.

Women are more likely to suffer from cataracts than men. Statistics show that people with dark eye color and black skin, overweight are most susceptible to the disease. Bad habits (smoking, drinking) — significant risk factors. To be safe, you need to have a good understanding of the causes, symptoms, and treatment of cataracts.

When to go to the doctor: symptoms of the initial stage of the disease

Most often, the disease affects both eyes, but not always at the same time. There are cases when signs of cataract appear in one eye a few months earlier than in the other. The first symptoms are impossible to miss:

Sometimes objects appear fuzzy and may double. This is not necessarily due to visual load. The symptom appears for no apparent reason.
It's getting hard to read. Letters appear blurry, merging with background.
Spots before eyes. They may look like flashes of color or flies.
Yellowness. Surrounding objects are seen in yellowish color.
Increased sensitivity. Eyes ache and water from the light.

Cataract develops from 1 years to 10-15 years. When it matures, a person stops seeing the contours of objects, distinguishes only light and shadow. The symptoms are not constant, appear periodically and at first practically do not interfere with normal life, so many people ignore them. This is the path to the weakening of vision. The only way to keep it — see a doctor as soon as possible.

Peculiarities of diagnosis and treatment of eye disease

At the first signs of cataract, you need to sign up for an examination with an ophthalmologist and undergo a complete examination. It is necessary to establish the field of view, intraocular pressure, examine the state of the fundus, and do biomicroscopy. Often, cataracts are accompanied by other eye diseases.

The only way to get rid of cataracts — surgery to remove the lens. Doctors may recommend medications, but they are all designed to slow cataract development, not cure the disease. Many patients are hesitant to have surgery because they are afraid that the surgery will damage their eyes. These fears are unfounded. For most people, vision is restored. Complications are rare.

There are several types of cataract surgery. A suitable method should be selected by a doctor, taking into account the indications and possible contraindications. A damaged lens can be replaced with an artificial one (it is an intraocular lens). Alternative — contact lenses or glasses.

The rehabilitation period after the operation lasts about 2 months. During this time, you will need to regularly come for examinations to the attending physician, protect your eyes with a special bandage and bury medications. To speed up the recovery process, it is advisable not to lift weights during the rehabilitation period, avoid tilting your head forward, use sunglasses.

Key facts about causes, symptoms, and treatment of cataracts

Everyone can experience cataracts, so remember that:

The first signs of the disease may appear after 40 years. If spots or flies appear before your eyes, and it becomes more and more difficult to read, do not hesitate to visit an ophthalmologist.
The disease develops from 1 to 15 years. The speed depends on the individual characteristics of the organism.
The only way to get rid of cataracts — operation. Don't fear it complications are rare.

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There are no reliable preventive methods, but healthy lifestyle, avoidance of bad habits and normalization of weight can prevent the disease.