Do you know what the most common type of surgery performed in the United States is each year? Cataract surgery. Over one and a half million cataract surgeries are performed each year, restoring clear vision to those that have lost some (or, in extreme cases, all) of their vision in one or both eyes.
Cataracts can actually be present at birth, but are more commonly associated with advanced age. They are caused by abnormal growth of the eye's lens, which lies behind the pupil. The lens of the eye grows throughout a person's life, and abnormalities in that growth can lead to a clouding of the lens which obstructs vision. Cataracts can occur in one or both of the eyes, independent of each other, and do not spread from one eye to the other.
Although cataracts are associated with advanced age, that is not the sole cause of the condition. In fact, there are many different potential factors that could lead to the formation of cataracts:
• Diabetes
• Poor nutrition
• Other eye disease, including glaucoma
• Dehydration
• Excessive exposure to radiation
One other potential cause of cataracts is genetic...you can inherit a predisposition to developing cataracts from your family; this is the reason that cases of at-birth cataracts happen.
Cataracts cause a wide variety of symptoms, all related to the loss of vision. Blurry or cloudy vision can be a sign of the formation of cataracts, as can a faded color vision. Problems with light are also common in those with cataracts, including a loss of night vision and the sensation of lights appearing too bright. The last two can combine to make nighttime driving especially troublesome due to the headlights of oncoming vehicles.
There is only one known treatment for cataracts...surgery. However, there are different types of cataract surgery; which one is selected is determined by the severity of the cataracts and the overall health of the eye. One type removes only the lens, leaving the capsule in which it rests in place. The second, more invasive type, removes both the lens and capsule.
The good news is that there's a very high success rate for cataract surgery, which means that developing cataracts in one or both of your eyes is not a guarantee that you will lose your vision. If you experience any of the symptoms of cataracts, check with your doctor as soon as possible to discuss treatment options.
Med News Post, provides health and medical news. We monitor health stories from around the world. The information is timely and well researched. http://mednewspost.com/
0 comments:
Post a Comment