Cataract is an extremely prevalent disease, being the largest cause of blindness in the world. They account for 51% of the cases of blindness in the world population and it is estimated that 10% of the North American population has cataracts, and that the prevalence increases by 50% in the 65-74 year old group and increases to 75% in people over 75 years old.
Cataracts are multifactorial and can be congenital or acquired. The most common is age-related, characterized by clouding and thickening of the natural lens in the eye, known as senile cataract.
As Senile Cataracts typically advance gradually over time, they can be classified by four stages: incipient, immature, mature, and hypermature stage.
Incipient Cataract
The Incipient Cataract is the first stage of the development of Senile Cataracts, which those affected individuals can present a slightly burry vision and is often detected through slit-lamp examination.
Immature Cataract
This is the second stage of Senile Cataracts, in which symptoms become more obvious. Individuals in the immature stage may complain of significantly reduced vision, colors appearing less vibrant, having difficulty reading, poor night vision, increased sensitivity to light and double vision.
Mature Cataract
In this stage, the clouding due to Seline Cataract matures and the eyes of individuals turn completely opaque, often brown or white in color.A person at this stage may experience serious visual discomfort, in which everyday tasks such as driving and recognizing faces become more difficult.
Hypermature Cataract
Hypermature Cataract is the stage where the Cataract reaches the last stage of its development. This stage is often associated with partial or total vision loss along with changes in the consistency of the eye lens which turns entirely white or yellow in color.
Vision is severely compromised with partial or total vision loss, and you may only be able to perceive light and dark with minimal form and detail.
The factors that trigger the emergence and acceleration of cataracts, such as the use of medications (steroids), toxic substances (nicotine), radiation (x-ray, UV), metabolic diseases (DM, galactosemia, hypocalcemia, hyperthyroidism, kidney disease), trauma , ocular disease (high myopia, uveitis, pseudoexfoliation), previous intraocular surgery (antiglaucomatous fistula, posterior vitrectomy), infection during pregnancy (toxoplasmosis, rubella), nutritional factors (malnutrition).
Prevention
There is no way to avoid genetic predisposition or the aging of the lens. However, some preventive measures can be taken to reduce some risk factors for the development of cataracts. Reducing smoking, protecting yourself against ultraviolet radiation and trauma, controlling Diabetes Mellitus, and avoiding the use of corticosteroids are measures that can be effective in preventing cataracts.
Treatment
The only treatment that cures cataracts is surgery. There are no eye drops or other medications that can make cataracts disappear. Until done, glasses and contact lenses can help reduce glare and improve vision.
Sources:
American Optometric Association on Care of the Adult Patient with Cataract:
Assessed and Endorsed by the MedReport Medical Review Board