What drops can cause intense clouding of the lens. Causes and treatment of clouding of the lens. Price for treatment

Cataract is a dangerous pathology, which is characterized by cataract eyes, resulting in visual disturbances of varying degrees. This disease holds a leading position in terms of “popularity” among eye diseases.

The problem is especially relevant for people whose age has “stepped over” the mark of forty years. To one degree or another, after forty, the disease affects almost every second person.

Before understanding in more detail what a cataract is and what are the reasons that provoke it, it should be said about the lens - the main character in this “play”.

  1. It has a high degree of similarity with a biconvex lens.
  2. Located between the iris and the vitreous body.
  3. The main purpose is to focus light rays on the retina.

AT normal condition, it is inherent in transparency, has good elasticity, there is the ability to modify the shape. By rapidly adjusting the “image sharpness”, it allows the eyes to see perfectly at various distances (far, near).

Years go by, the functionality of the lens gradually “wears out”, losing elasticity and transparency. For cataracts, visual picture becomes cloudy, the world around becomes dim. The image is comparable to viewing through a misted glass, the outlines are blurry.

With clouding of the lens, there are difficulties with the penetration of light rays into the eye. The development of the disease occurs slowly, without declaring itself in the early stages. falls over the years, as the pathology progresses. Sensation of visibility, as in a fog.

In the absence of proper attention to the problem, timely treatment, cataract can lead to partial or complete loss of vision (blindness).

Symptoms of a cataract

Conventionally, the functionality of the eye is comparable to an ordinary camera, where cornea with the lens it is the lens, and the film is the retina. During a cataract, the clouded lens prevents the visual image from being displayed on the retina. The image on it is not focused clearly.

Since the pathological process is not in a hurry, it is not an easy task to independently determine the disease. Our preventive discipline is very lame. Regular visits to the ophthalmological office are ignored, so they turn to the doctor with complaints when the initial stage of the disease is far behind.

List of fundamental risk factors:

  • visual clarity is reduced
  • increased eye sensitivity to excessively bright colors
  • to read books, newspapers, you need more light
  • worse perception of colors
  • closing one eye, the visual picture doubles in the second
  • there is a need frequent adjustments diopter

The listed symptoms are considered common, and each patient has his own, characteristics manifestations of the disease.

In children, the consequences of a congenital form of cataract include: manifestation, a change in the color of the pupil from black to white or gray.

Parents can fix a decrease in vision in a child by the absence of a reaction to silent toys.

It is worth noting that the clouded lens does not provoke tangible pain and redness of the eyes.

In rare situations, the development of cataracts occurs rapidly - the size of the lens increases, the outflow pathways of intraocular fluid are blocked.

Intraocular pressure increases, there are strong pain sensations. This form of the disease requires immediate surgery.

Causes of cataract

There are plenty of circumstances that are catalysts for the onset of this disease:

  • pathology of the endocrine nature ( diabetes) - more about diabetic cataract let's talk below
  • frequent intoxication of the body
  • addictions: smoking and alcohol
  • complications eye diseases(, glaucoma)
  • long-term medication
  • eye injuries
  • ultraviolet irradiation
  • age is a common causal argument, since senile cataract is found in almost every second person of advanced age (over 60 years old)

Diabetic cataract

This type of pathology mainly “accompanies” type 1 diabetes. Selectively, the posterior part (capsule) of the lens is exposed to clouding. As for the second type, it is more typical for it age view cataracts, when the area of ​​turbidity is uniform, sometimes with a yellowish tinge.

In many cases, the correlation between the resulting opacities and visual quality is minimal. The person does not feel a significant loss vision, there is no obvious discomfort. This is the danger of cataracts - such a condition is able to "fix" for a long time. In the early stages, the disease is difficult to detect.

However, this does not apply to the diabetic form, which has a tendency to rapid development. Literally for a week. In such cases, with rapid clouding of the lens, the transient development of the disease, there is only one way out - the intervention of an eye surgeon is recommended.

vision problems in diabetics

  1. Increase your time outdoors. Walking at a calm pace allows you to “reset” the visual load from tired eyes. Fresh air, saturating the blood with oxygen, has a beneficial effect on the muscular apparatus of the eye.
  2. Pay due attention to moderate exercise, of course, in the absence of strong contraindications. Swimming, cycling, skiing - this is permissible, of course, without fanaticism. Such physical activity has a strengthening effect on the cornea, increases clarity of vision, preventing not only clouding of the lens, but also other eye pathologies, myopia.
  3. Lighting - natural is of course more useful, however, if it is insufficient, the switch will need to be turned on. Visual loads in a darkened room are unacceptable - they adversely affect the quality of vision.
  4. Massage is also included in the list of activities that contribute to the normalization of the performance of the visual muscles.
  5. Keep your weight under control, don't get "friendly" with alcohol, try to be emotionally stable.
  6. Provide eye protection from radiation (ultraviolet, microwave).
  7. Exercise caution when taking medications that increase the sensitivity of eye tissues to radiation.
  8. Minimize coffee consumption.
  9. Take total control of blood sugar levels, because diabetes is one of the true allies of cataracts.

Treatment with home remedies

home therapy in this case ineffective, positive changes, even with systematic, prolonged treatment difficult to expect. similar shape treatment, is rather comparable with the moral preparation of the patient for the inevitable cataract surgery.

Here are folk tips that help strengthen the visual picture.

  1. Before eating, drink a glass of a mixture of juices: carrots, parsley, celery. Moreover, the share of carrots in this vegetable cocktail prevails, at least 50%.
  2. Increase the proportion of berries (blueberries, mulberries), beets, Jerusalem artichokes in the diet.
  3. Minimize your salt and sugar intake.
  4. Grate carrots on a fine grater, add blueberries, eyebright, black grape peel. All of the listed ingredients are taken according to Art. l. Stir, pour vodka (0.5 l.), Infuse in a dark place for three weeks. Shake the contents periodically. In parallel with this procedure, it is necessary to prepare an extract of green leaf tea. After straining, fill a dark container with tinctures. Use twice a day for 30 drops.
  5. Pour the crushed marin root (st. l) with boiling water. Tightly close the lid, soak for three hours. After boiling for ten minutes and filtering, allow to cool, use according to Art. l three times a day.

Please remember that the use of eye drops, taking vitamins, is not able to overcome the clouding of the lens. They are able to slightly slow down the development of pathology. If a cataract is diagnosed, then progression is gaining momentum over the years, and only surgery will help solve the problem.

Take an interest in timely health, goodbye.

15.08.2018

The organ of vision is one of the first to feel and reflect the aging process in the body. Visual acuity decreases, the eye becomes more sensitive to changes in lighting, and the lens becomes cloudy. Clouding of the lens of the eye is caused in ninety percent of cases by age-related changes and is called a cataract.

The lens is located between the iris and the vitreous body, it is a natural lens of the human organ of vision, which collects and refracts light rays. It goes without saying that for the lens to function adequately prerequisite is its transparency. As long as the lens is transparent, the eye works normally and the person sees a clear picture of the world around him.

Due to clouding of the lens of the eye, a cataract develops, which is characterized by a violation of the transparency of the natural lens of the organ of vision. The name of the disease comes from the ancient Greek word, which literally translates as a waterfall. Have you at least once seen something through flowing water in a dense stream? If so, then you can imagine how a person with a cataract sees the world.

What makes the eye cloudy?

When changes occur in the eye that are characteristic of a cataract, there is a feeling that the whole eye becomes cloudy. How do these changes manifest themselves? For those around, the pupil of a sick person turns from dark into milky white, cloudy. Of course, this does not happen instantly. All these changes affect the eye gradually, but once started, this process becomes irreversible.

There are several types of cataracts.

  • Age-related, which appears in old age, and sometimes in just a mature age.
  • Congenital, which manifests itself in the earliest stages of life.
  • Traumatic - a cataract that occurs after injuries to the organ of vision.
  • Radiation, today the most rare.

The vast majority of cases is still occupied by the so-called senile cataract. Etiological factor not reliably confirmed. It is believed that clouding of the eye is caused by such a reason as biochemical changes in the structure of the natural lens of the eye. In the process of life and functioning of the body, substances accumulate in cells and tissues that leave their imprint on the structure, and, accordingly, on the function of organs. The eye is no exception in this respect. In addition, errors constantly occur in the synthesis of DNA, which the young organism eliminates. With age, this function of the immune system is weakened, and the control over DNA replication errors is reduced, "allowing" "erroneous" cells in the tissue. Together, all these factors lead to a gradual replacement of normal tissue cells with defective ones.

The causes of clouding of the lens also include:

  • endocrine disorders that contribute to the accumulation of atypical substances in cells;
  • beriberi, in particular, metabolic disorders or vitamin A deficiency;
  • redundant row reception medicines leading to endocrine disorders;
  • prolonged (lifelong) exposure to the sun, exposure to solar radiation and, as a result, the launch of free-radical processes;
  • It has been proven that smoking is among other causes of cataracts.

However, even in the absence bad habits, care for one's own health and control of hormonal levels, changes in the eye still appear with age. According to statistics, every third inhabitant of our country after the age of forty is subject to initial changes in the organ of vision. By the age of eighty, almost everyone has cataracts.

Symptoms of clouding of the lens of the eye

As already mentioned, clouding of the pupil does not occur immediately, and the stage of the disease at which the diagnosis can be made without additional research methods is terminal and requires immediate treatment if a person wants to preserve his vision. As a rule, in this situation, the diagnosis of cataract is beyond doubt, and the patient no longer needs additional symptoms, in the presence of which one can suspect this disease. The following are symptoms, the presence of which can tell a person that his health is beginning to stagger steadily towards eye diseases.

  • Decreased visual acuity.
  • Blurry, fuzzy image. Some patients talk about it "everything is in a fog." A “shroud”, a “waterfall” appears before the eyes.
  • Excessive sensitivity to light sources appears, but this phenomenon is not accompanied by pain.
  • For reading, there is a need for an additional source of illumination, since without it it is not possible to read.
  • At night, the patient is visited by sensations bright flashes in the eyes, glare of light.
  • When looking at light sources, halos of blinding blurry light appear around the latter.
  • The color perception changes, the perception of colors decreases.
  • Contrast suffers: transitions become blurry and foggy.
  • Temporarily, the patient may have a refractive error in the direction of myopia. Such patients note that they can read without glasses, which were previously required for reading. This phenomenon is short-term and in fact does not represent a change in the visual apparatus for the better.
  • More often, visual impairments progress and cannot be corrected with glasses or lenses, and if it is possible to choose a means of correction, due to the rapid change in visual acuity indicators, it turns out to be irrelevant.

Finally, the most obvious sign of cataract is clouding of the lens itself. The final turbidity visible to the eye occurs on final stages diseases, of which there are only four.

  1. Initial. At this stage, there is no visible clouding of the natural lens of the eye. Microscopic areas of impaired transparency on the periphery of the lens have consequences in the form minor symptoms which, however, may not exist at all. During this period, the patient often encounters a violation of the refractive power of the eye, and this is where the notorious difficulty in selecting or quickly changing the means of correcting visual acuity manifests itself.
  2. Immature. This stage of cataract is manifested by the beginning clouding of the lens, which can be seen with the naked eye. The patient's vision is sharply reduced due to the gradual movement of opacities from the periphery to the center. The modified lens of the eye swells, resulting in increased intraocular pressure, which means the addition of glaucoma as a secondary process that develops in a pathologically altered eye.
  3. mature cataract. The lens is completely restructured, and clouding of the lens of the eye gives its symptoms. Visual acuity is reduced so much that the patient sees "no further than his nose", only not in a figurative, but in the literal sense. Everything that happens beyond the level of the patient's face is beyond the reach of his vision.
  4. Overripe, on which wrinkling / liquefaction of the lens occurs. Symptoms remain the same, and may even improve somewhat due to the "softening" of the substrate of the disease. However, these improvements are insignificant, and the patient will still be able to see only at the level of his face and light perception.

Clouding of the lens of the eye: is there a cure?

Fortunately, today this problem is curable. Clouding of the lens of the eye with treatment has an operation to replace the "native" lens with an artificial one, and it is called phacoemulsification.

All over the world today, this operation is the "gold standard" for the treatment of this disease, relieving a person of a clouded, swollen or wrinkled / liquefied lens. During the operation, an artificial lens with an optimally selected refractive power is installed in place of the changed optical structure, which allows a person to fully restore vision. Please note that surgical intervention, whether it be ultrasonic or surgical, should be carried out at the stage of maturity of the process.

There is also drug treatment, which can give a positive effect in the initial stages of the disease. But, given the catastrophically low rate of visits to an ophthalmologist for minor vision problems, the process is rarely detected at such an early stage.

In Moscow, cataracts are treated daily in dozens of patients at the Svyatoslav Fedorov Medical Center. Ophthalmologists-microsurgeons improve for you and in order to return to you the joy of a full vision of the world. This is a place where competent specialists are gathered, ready to help people with their vision problems. If you have any, do not delay a visit to the doctor. Fedorov Medical Center is open for you!


Appointment Signed up today: 31

The lens of the eye is a transparent structure that allows light to pass through. When a cataract occurs, cloudy areas begin to appear on the lens. Many experts claim that cataracts are the leading cause of vision loss in people over the age of 40.

Cataract - clouding of the lens of the eye

In this article, we talked about how this disease occurs and what methods allow you to fight it.

What is a cataract

The lens is a biconvex lens, which is in a thin capsule. It consists of several layers and resembles onions. The lens is almost entirely composed of protein fibers and water. eye muscles compress the lens and change the focal length. Due to this, clear images of near and far objects will begin to appear on the lens.

With age, the process of decomposition of water-soluble proteins begins to dominate in the lens, and they turn into opaque substances, and the lens of the eye gradually becomes cloudy. The opaque lens begins to transmit insufficient light and the quality of vision is constantly deteriorating. In most cases, cataracts take years to develop, but sometimes they can develop in a few months. Depending on the causes that caused the problem, the disease can be congenital or acquired in adults.


Common types of eye cataracts

Foci of clouding in most cases appear in the center, the core of the eye lens, in front or behind, as well as on its periphery. Depending on the location of the cataract, there are:

  • anterior polar;
  • back polar;
  • nuclear;
  • cortical;
  • posterior capsular;
  • spindle-shaped;
  • layered;
  • incomplete complicated;
  • complete.

Impact on vision

Experts say that cataracts make it difficult to drive a car, especially at night. Seeing the expression of people will be quite difficult. The disease develops slowly and most people are not even aware of this problem. Vision will deteriorate as the lens becomes cloudy. In the early stages, the disease most affects only distance vision.

You can improve the quality of vision only with high-quality lighting and with the use of glasses. However, if nothing is done, then vision will gradually deteriorate. Doctors say that cataracts cause the most vision problems worldwide.

The reasons

Causes of cataracts can be varied. Depending on the cause of their occurrence, they are divided into primary and secondary. Among all existing visual defects, cataracts make up about 60%, and this is a fairly high figure.

The occurrence of congenital cataract is associated with the following factors:

  1. Dominant genetic inheritance.
  2. The effect on the fetus of various viral infections during pregnancy.
  3. Influence of toxic factors.
  4. Diabetes mellitus and other endocrine diseases.
  5. Certain syndromes that are associated with cataracts.

It's important to know! Canadian scientists have shown that patients who take statins for high cholesterol and patients with type 2 diabetes have more high risk development of cataracts.

Primary acquired cataracts may result from:

  1. Natural age-related changes that occur after 40 years.
  2. Mechanical or chemical injury.
  3. Exposure to ionizing, radioactive or ultraviolet radiation.
  4. Poisoning by chemical or biological substances.

Secondary acquired cataracts form throughout life and are the result of:

  1. Incomplete resorption of the masses of the lens in trauma.
  2. Neurodermatitis, scleroderma, systemic lupus erythematosus, metabolic disorders, endocrine and autoimmune diseases that occur with the phenomena of widespread vasculitis.
  3. High myopia, retinal detachment, and inflammatory diseases choroid of the eyes.

Now you know what causes can affect the development of cataracts. Now it's time to figure out what types of diseases patients may encounter.

congenital

In almost every fourth case, the causes of such a disease are unidentified. This kind of problem appears immediately after the birth of a child. The disease occurs as a result of pathologies prenatal development or hereditary predisposition.

Complicated

Clouding of the lens may be accompanied by additional pathologies that may complicate treatment. Complicated cataract can often also be aggravated by primary or concomitant diseases.

senile

This type of disease appears due to aging of the body. At the initial stage of cataract, vision begins to gradually deteriorate. With the progression of the disease, dark glasses, spots, as well as a double image can float before the eyes. Up close vision can become problematic.

In the presence of primary eye diseases, age-related cataract can progress rapidly. In some cases, the appearance of cataracts can be affected by mechanical or chemical trauma to the eye. Also exists Great chance manifestations of the disease in diabetics and smokers.

Symptoms

Every person who is prone to a similar problem may experience a gradual loss of vision. If the problem is started then complete blindness sets in. The following symptoms may indicate the progression of this pathology:

  • decreased visual acuity near;
  • the manifestation of orange halos around bright objects;
  • blurred vision at night;
  • doubling of surrounding objects;
  • photophobia;
  • dizziness.

In some cases, cataracts can cause headaches.

The insidiousness of the disease lies in the fact that it is quite difficult to determine. Accordingly, it is impossible to start treatment at the initial stages. Nevertheless, doctors identify certain symptoms that are inherent in the early stages of the disease:

  • surrounding objects may appear fuzzy;
  • bright objects are surrounded by iridescent radiance;
  • “dark flies” may gradually appear;
  • it becomes difficult to thread a needle or read texts with small print.

Carrying out diagnostics

Anyone who experiences vision problems should immediately contact an ophthalmologist. Here are the procedures that the ophthalmologist will perform during the diagnosis:

  1. The visual acuity test allows you to determine how clearly a person sees the surrounding objects.
  2. Examination of the eye with a slit lamp. The microscope allows you to examine the cornea, iris and lens.
  3. Tonometry measures the pressure inside the eye.

Examination of the patient is carried out after instillation of special.


Performing an eye examination

Dilated pupils allow you to create a large window to the back of your eyes. The specialist will check the eyes for signs of cataracts and see how dense the clouding is.

Treatment Methods

On the this moment pharmacies offer a wide range of drugs for the treatment of cataracts. Most of the drugs are not effective because they have not been tested by independent organizations. ethnoscience I am ready to offer my methods of cataract treatment. Now it's time to get acquainted in more detail with all the methods of treating this problem.

Conservative treatment

A conservative method of treatment is the use of eye drops. They contain special components, without which the disease will actively develop. Such substances include:

  • antioxidants;
  • amino acids;
  • vitamins;
  • potassium iodide;
  • nicotinic acid.
What does a dilated pupil look like?

They are part of the drugs that are used to treat cataracts with drops:

  1. . These drops are an amino acid that stimulates processes in the lens.
  2. Vitaiodurol is a complex preparation in which there are components such as adenosine, calcium chloride, and nicotinic acid.
  3. , Cytochrome are agents for improving oxidation processes that are used for subcapsular opacities and opacities in the form of a bowl.
  4. Pirenoxin (eye drops) - contributes to the normalization of glucose metabolism and the permeability of the lens capsule. Usually this remedy is used in senile and diabetic cataracts.
  5. . Active ingredient of these drops is azapentacene, which occupies a special place among medicines for the treatment of cataracts. Doctors claim that these drops inhibit the synthesis and oxidative action of compounds that destroy lens proteins.
  6. intended for intramuscular injection.

Part conservative treatment physical therapy methods may also be included. For example, you may be given 40 cysteine ​​electrophoresis sessions. This procedure contributes to the neutralization of individual toxins and protects against the negative effects of radiation. Of great importance in the treatment of cataracts is also the elimination of risk factors and the treatment of diseases that contribute to its development.

It's important to know! Doctors say that conservative methods of treatment cannot lead to the resorption of lens opacities. If a cataract has already occurred then it will continue to develop. Pharmacological agents simply slow down an irreversible process.

Some areas of the lens in age-related cataracts are half transparent and do not undergo further clouding. The swelling stage can last for several years.

Surgery

This is the only radical method of eliminating pathology. The operation can be used in the following modifications:

  1. In childhood, if visual acuity is 0.2 or less.
  2. For complete cataract surgery is recommended at 1-2 years of age.
  3. With membranous cataract surgery is recommended at the age of 2-3 years.
  4. With a layered variety of cataracts, surgery can be done between 2 and 6 years.

The main indications for surgery in adults are:

  • swelling stage of cataract;
  • lens dislocation;
  • the presence of glaucoma;
  • various comorbidities;
  • the need to improve vision with professional conditions.

Phacoemulsification method

Here is a list of common surgery options that you may be prescribed:

  1. . The operation consists in ultrasonic or laser destruction and removal by suction of damaged areas of the lens through a small incision. After that, twisted is introduced into a small incision. She manages on her own. The incision left after this procedure is small, so there are no stitches.
  2. extracapsular extraction. An operation may be prescribed if it is not possible to perform the first procedure. Through the incision, doctors remove the anterior capsule and the nucleus of the lens, after which an artificial intraocular lens is installed. The duration of the operation can be from 30 to 40 minutes.
  3. intracapsular extraction. During this operation, specialists will install artificial lens. To date, the procedure is rarely performed, since there is a high risk of bleeding.

Cost of treatment

The most optimal method of treatment is phacoemulsification. The cost of eye cataract surgery with implantation is:

  • intraocular lenses 45-90 thousand rubles;
  • adapted lenses 75-100 thousand rubles;
  • toric lenses 85-125 thousand rubles;
  • multifocal lenses - 125-170 thousand rubles.

Prevention of cataract

Holding preventive measures helps to minimize cataract complications. People should be screened regularly, especially as they get older. Here are recommendations that can reduce the risk of developing cataracts:

  1. To give up smoking. Smoking increases the risk of developing eye diseases. As a result of smoking, the probability of developing cataracts increases by 3 times.
  2. Food. A healthy diet reduces the risk of developing many diseases. AT healthy diet must include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, as well as avocados, unrefined carbohydrates, high quality healthy fats. Many experts recommend paying special attention to the Mediterranean diet, which has a positive effect on the entire body.
  3. Diabetes. Scientists have proven that type 2 diabetes significantly increases the risk of the disease. Proper nutrition helps control blood sugar levels.

Now you know what a cataract is. If symptoms of this disease are detected, you should immediately go to an appointment with an ophthalmologist. From the problem that was detected at the initial stage, you can quickly get rid of.

A cataract is a clouding in the lens of the eye causing problems with vision. The most common type of cataract occurs in old age. More than half of all Russians aged 65 and over have cataracts.

In the early stages, intensive non-invasive therapy can reduce vision problems caused by cataracts. However, at some point, surgery is the only possible way cataract treatment. Today, cataract surgery is safe and very effective.

What is a lens?

The lens is the part of the eye that helps focus light on the retina. The retina is the light-sensitive layer of the eye that sends visual signals to the brain. The lens is located just behind the iris, the colored part of the eye. When focusing, the eyeball changes shape. It becomes rounder as you look at nearby objects.

What is a cataract?

The lens of the eye is made up primarily of water and protein. The protein is designed so that light passes through it and is focused on the retina. Sometimes the proteins come together and concentrate in a small area of ​​the lens. This is a cataract. Over time, cataracts can enlarge and involve most the lens, which makes it difficult to perceive visible objects.

Although scientists continue to study cataracts, no one knows for sure what causes this pathology. Scientists agree that there may be several reasons for this, including smoking and diabetes. Often the protein in the lens simply changes with the age of the patient.

There is also some evidence that cataracts are related to certain vitamin and mineral deficiencies. The National Eye Institute is conducting a study to find out whether the formation of cataracts is due to beriberi.

Scientists know that cataracts will not spread from one eye to the other, although many people develop the disease in both eyes.

Symptoms of a cataract

The most common symptoms of cataracts are:

  • Cloudy or blurry vision.
  • Problems with light perception: headlights that seem too bright at night, glare from lamps or the sun, halo or haze around the lamp, various flickering.
  • Colors appear pale.
  • Double or multiple vision (this symptom disappears as the cataract grows).
  • Frequent change of glasses and contact lenses.

These symptoms can also be a sign of other eye problems. If you have any of these symptoms, see an ophthalmologist.

When the cataract is small, you may not notice changes in your vision. Cataracts tend to grow slowly, so vision deteriorates gradually. Some people with cataracts find that their ability to see objects at close range suddenly improves, but this is temporary. Vision will deteriorate soon as the cataract grows.

Types of cataract

Age related cataracts: Most cataracts are related to aging.

Congenital cataract: Some children are born with or develop cataracts during childhood, often in both eyes. Usually these are children with congenital myopia and other visual pathologies.

Secondary cataract: Cataracts are more likely to develop in people who have some other health problem, such as diabetes. In addition, cataracts are sometimes associated with steroid use.

Traumatic cataract: Cataracts can develop soon after an eye injury or years later.

Cataract diagnostics

To detect a cataract, a phthalmologist examines the lens.

A comprehensive eye exam usually includes:

  • Visual acuity test: This test measures how well you see at different distances.
  • Pupil dilation: the pupil is dilated with drops of atropine to allow the ophthalmologist to see better inner region eyes, which is necessary for accurate diagnosis.
  • Tonometry: This is a standard test to measure fluid pressure inside the eye. High blood pressure may be a sign of glaucoma.

Cataract treatment

For early cataracts, magnifying glasses as well as good indoor lighting can improve vision. If these measures fail, surgery is the only option. effective treatment. The surgeon removes the cloudy lens and replaces it with an artificial one.

A cataract should only be removed if it severely affects vision or interferes with your daily activities. The decision to have surgery is made by the patient.

If you have cataracts in both eyes, the surgeon will not operate on both eyes at the same time. You will need to do the surgery separately for each eye to avoid possible complications.

Sometimes a cataract is indicated for removal, even if it does not bother you. For example, if the pathology interferes with the investigation or treatment of other eye problems, such as - age-related degeneration macular macula or diabetic retinopathy. In these cases, the cataract must be surgically removed.

Is cataract surgery effective?

Surgical removal of a cataract is one of the most common eye surgeries performed in Russia today.

It is also one of the safest and most effective treatments. More than 90% of people who have cataract surgery have improved vision and quality of life.

How is a cataract removed?

The eye lens is enclosed in a kind of "capsule", an outer covering that holds it in place. There are many various methods cataract surgery, but they all fall into one of two main categories:

Extracapsular surgery: The eye surgeon opens the front of the capsule and removes the lens, leaving the back of the capsule in place. sound waves(ultrasound) can be used to soften and rupture a cloudy lens so that it can be removed through a narrow, hollow tube. This is called phacoemulsification.

Intracapsular surgery: the entire lens is removed, including the "capsule". Although extracapsular surgery has largely replaced this technique in Russia, it is safe and effective and can be used in some cases, for example, if the eye cavity is too hard for phacoemulsification.

Currently, the laser cannot be used to remove cataracts. Although scientists are working on methods for using laser cataract surgery, the issue is still being studied.

Methods for replacing the lens

The lens of the eye is essential for focusing vision. When it is removed, it must be replaced. There are three types of replacement lenses: an intraocular lens, a contact lens, or special glasses. Today, about 90 percent of patients choose an intraocular lens (implant). Of these, about 90% take root, and the patient regains the ability to see clearly.

intraocular lens

This is a transparent plastic lens that replaces the affected lens; placed in the eye during cataract surgery. Patients who have undergone lens replacement surgery note that their vision has improved markedly, they do not feel any discomfort.

Some people are hypersensitive to the material of which the artificial lens is made, or for some reason the shape of the eyes is not suitable for wearing an implant, or patients have some other eye disease. In these cases, surgery to replace the lens inside the eye cannot be performed.

Contact lenses

If it is not possible to replace the lens, contact soft or hard lenses. These lenses can be worn throughout the day and removed at night. At night, the lenses are placed in a special physical solution (your eye doctor tells you how to put on, take off, and clean your lenses.) When using all types of contact lenses, you must follow the instructions on their correct use and care.

Glasses for cataracts

Some people do not want to use contact lenses or their eyes are too sensitive to wear them. For these people, cataract glasses may be the best choice. Glasses for cataract patients affect vision differently than regular glasses. Their powerful magnification (20-35 percent) can make perspective vision difficult and distort side vision. Until your eyes adjust to these changes, you need to be careful when you drive or perform other activities.

What happens before the operation?

Before cataract surgery, an ophthalmologist will perform some tests. These may include tests to measure the curvature of the cornea (the clear, domed structure that protects the front of the eye) and the shape of the eye. For patients planning to wear contact lenses after surgery, this information will help the clinician select the correct lens type.

Other tests can help determine the condition of the retina and prepare the patient for surgery.

Many people choose to stay awake during surgery (local anesthesia), while others may need to use general anesthesia for a short time. If you chose local anesthesia, you will be given special medicines that will temporarily make you unable to move your eyes.

What happens after the operation?

Most people who have had surgical removal cataracts, can return home the same day. Others may experience minor problems after surgery, such as bleeding. In these cases, they will have to stay in the hospital overnight, or for several days.

Absolutely normal sensations after the operation:

  • itching in the eye area;
  • sticky eyelids;
  • mild discomfort at the site of surgery.

Fluid retention also occurs frequently. In most cases, full recovery takes about 6 weeks.

If you feel discomfort, your eye doctor may suggest pain medication without aspirin every 4 to 6 hours (aspirin thins the blood and can cause bleeding). After 1-2 days, even moderate discomfort should disappear.

After your surgery, your healthcare provider will schedule exams to check your recovery progress. You may need to use eye drops to treat or prevent infection or inflammation. You may also take eye drops or tablets for a few days after surgery to control the pressure inside your eye. Ask your doctor to show you how to use them, when to take them, and what effects they may have.

Complications after cataract removal

Problems after surgery are rare, but they can occur. They may include:

  • infection
  • bleeding,
  • high blood pressure inside the eye
  • inflammation (pain, redness, swelling)
  • retinal detachment.

With operational medical care these problems can be treated.

Some signs postoperative complications may mean you need immediate surgical attention. If you have any of the following symptoms, contact your eye care professional immediately:

  • unusual pain,
  • vision loss,
  • flashing lights in front of the eyes (may be evidence of retinal detachment, which threatens blindness).

When will vision be fully restored?

After surgery, you can read and watch TV almost immediately, but your vision may be blurry. The operated eye needs time to adapt, especially if there is a cataract in the other eye. The healing period can take many weeks. Your doctor can suggest ways to help improve your eye health during your recovery period.

How long it takes before you can see well usually depends on the condition of the other eye, the lens you chose for implantation, and your vision before surgery.

For example, after a lens transplant, you may notice that many shades have a bluish tint, and after being outdoors in bright sunshine, everything will turn reddish in a few hours. It won't take long to adjust to these changes.

What is a secondary cataract?

Occasionally, people who have had extracapsular surgery develop a secondary cataract. When this happens, the back of the lens capsule becomes cloudy and prevents light from reaching the retina. Unlike cataracts, secondary cataract treated with a laser.

In a technique called YAG capsulotomy, an eye surgeon uses laser ray to create a tiny hole in the capsule that can let light through. This is a painless outpatient procedure.

What research is being done?

The NEI conducts and supports a number of studies such as the Eye Age Diseases Study (AREDS). In this nationwide clinical trial scientists are studying how cataracts develop and what factors put people at risk for their development. In addition, they consider whether certain vitamins and minerals affect the development of cataracts.

Other research is focused on new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cataracts. In addition, scientists are studying the role of genetics in the development of cataracts.

Cataract Prevention: What Can You Do to Protect Your Vision?

People over the age of 60 are at risk for many vision problems. If you are aged 60 or over, you must have an eye examination through dilated pupils. This type of exam allows your eye care professional to check for signs of age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataracts, and other visual impairments.

Cataract is an eye disease characterized by clouding of the lens. The lens is a transparent lens located inside the eye. The lens focuses light rays on the retina, helping to produce a clear and sharp image. Cataracts can occur due to age-related changes, trauma, or a number of other reasons.

What it is

Cataract of the eye is one of the most common causes with which older people turn to ophthalmologists.

If we imagine the lens of the human eye as a lens whose task is to transmit and refract light rays, while the eye perfectly sees both what is nearby and objects that are at a distance, then with a cataract this lens becomes less and less transparent, in the eye only gets limited quantity light rays, the image for a person with such a disease becomes fuzzy and blurry.

Unfortunately, time plays against the sick person here, because cataract provokes an increasing clouding of the lens, up to its complete opacity, and, consequently, blindness.

Cataract is not age change human visual system. It can occur at absolutely any age, but most often it still occurs in people who have crossed the half-century milestone.

Nearly 17 million people have been diagnosed with cataracts, according to data provided by the World Health Organization. Basically, these are people over 60 years old, and after 80 years it is quite difficult to find a person who does not suffer from this disease.

In addition, medical statistics show that about 20 million cataract patients worldwide are completely blind due to lack of treatment or its ineffectiveness.

stages

Cataract, the symptoms of which manifest themselves in varying degrees depending on the progression of the disease, has four stages of its own development, namely:

  • I degree cataract - initial. The lens (mainly in the periphery) has areas with opacities, while a significant part of it has transparency. Manifestations of the disease in this period can be very different. So, some patients do not experience visual impairment, others complain of the appearance of "flies" before their eyes, and others experience changes in refraction (refractions in the optical system, expressed in myopia, hyperopia), which require a relatively quick change in diopters in lenses / glasses;
  • II degree cataract - immature. In this case, the lens noticeably becomes cloudy, vision is reduced. The patient is able to count the fingers only near the face. Due to the increase in the lens, the anterior chambers of the eyes become less deep. The stage is also referred to as the "swelling stage". An increase in the lens often provokes an increase in intraocular pressure (secondary glaucoma);
  • III degree cataract - mature. Here, a complete clouding of the lens is formed, which completely reduces vision. The patient sees hand movements only near the face;
  • IV degree cataract - wrinkling or liquefaction of the lens. The quality of vision remains similar to the previous stage, sometimes it can even improve. Subsequently, spontaneous resorption of the formation becomes possible, for which, however, a lot of time is required - years, or even decades (which is more often).

The reasons

A cataract is a clouding of the lens; usually develops in one or both eyes. Most often, cataracts occur in one eye more quickly.

Normally, light passing through the pupil and entering the lens is refracted and focused on the retina (the light-sensitive part of the eye). The lens, changing its curvature, makes it possible to obtain a clear image of objects far and near.

With the development of a cataract, the lens becomes cloudy and scatters light - the image on the retina becomes blurry and fuzzy.

There are several types of cataracts:

nuclear cataract
Nuclear cataract occurs in the center of the lens. In the early stages, the patient becomes short-sighted for a while, may notice an improvement in near vision (for example, while reading). Unfortunately, this temporary phenomenon disappears, and as the cataract progresses, the lens becomes more dense. Vision begins to fall, especially in poor lighting.

Cortical cataract
Cortical cataract is manifested by clouding of the outer layers of the lens substance (cortex). With slow progression, the opacities spread to the center of the lens and obstruct the passage of light. Vision is impaired near and far.

Subcapsular cataract
Subcapsular cataract begins as a small opaque area, located more often under posterior capsule lens (on the axis of the passage of light to the retina). Such a cataract may be bilateral, but the symptoms are more pronounced on one side.

Subcapsular cataracts make it difficult to read, make it difficult to see in bright light, and at night, halos or "halos" (a crown of light) may appear around light sources.

congenital cataract
Age changes are not the only cause of cataracts. Some people have cataracts that are congenital or develop during childhood. An example is a cataract in a child after a mother had rubella during pregnancy. In addition, there are metabolic reasons. Congenital cataracts do not always reduce vision so much that they need to be removed urgently.

signs

One of the most common diseases is cataract, so many people are frightened by such a diagnosis, shocked. The disease will not be so terrible if you learn more about it: symptoms, timely diagnosis, effective treatment.

Consider initial signs cataracts, after the detection of which, you should immediately make an appointment with an ophthalmologist, conduct an examination. A prolonged decrease in visual acuity, since cataract is called clouding of the lens (violation of transparency), double vision, a noticeable deterioration in night vision, previously uncharacteristic sensitivity to bright light.

The initial stage of the disease can last up to 10-15 years, and a person may not attach due importance to the first signs of cataract. When the disease enters the stage of maturation, some additional symptoms appear: loss of objective vision with preserved light perception. This indicates a gradual, irreversible loss of vision.

At the initial stage, noticed in time by specialists, the patient is prescribed special drops enriched with vitamins, microelements necessary for the eye; various physiotherapy procedures. Such drugs will not eradicate the disease, they can only stop its progression, which is also important. If a person did not notice a cataract at the first sign, it has reached a more complex stage, the drops will be useless. The only way out is surgery, which involves replacing the lens with an artificial one. Thanks to current technologies, the process is completely painless, the operation is fast and efficient, and rehabilitation takes minimal amount time.

Despite the fact that doctors have found ways to cope with cataracts, it is better not to meet with this disease. Therefore, it is necessary to treat your own vision very responsibly, pay attention to minimal deviations and uncharacteristic features. Human nutrition should contain all the vitamins, trace elements that are important for the organs of vision. If you properly take care of your own health, the need to visit doctors of various specializations will be minimal.

Symptoms

There are congenital and acquired cataracts, and depending on the presence of a dense nucleus in the lens, they are soft and hard. Before the age of 40, cataracts are usually soft, after 40 years, due to the compaction of the central parts of the lens, they are hard. According to the localization of opacification, capsular, cortical, perinuclear or layered, nuclear and complete cataracts are distinguished. The form of cataracts is different - stellate, spindle-shaped, disc-shaped, rosette, cup-shaped. Cataracts are divided into non-progressive (stationary) and progressive; congenital cataracts usually do not progress, acquired cataracts mostly progress.

The degree of decrease in visual acuity in cataracts depends on the location of the clouding in the lens, as well as on the intensity of the clouding. Opacities located against the pupil are more visually impaired than opacities located in the peripheral parts of the lens. The pupil area during the development of cataract appears grayish, grayish-white, milky-white. Gentle opacities in the initial stages of a cataract are very difficult to determine with the naked eye. Focal illumination, transmitted light examination and biomicroscopy are used to identify them.

Congenital cataracts account for approximately 60% of all congenital defects of the organ of vision and are the main cause of congenital blindness and amblyopia. By localization, type and degree of lens opacities, they are very diverse. Biomicroscopic examination often reveals small opacities of the bag and lens substance, which do not progress during life. These dotted opacities usually do not affect vision. With clouding of not only the capsule, but also neighboring areas of the lens substance, the so-called capsulolenticular cataract develops - fusiform, anterior and posterior polar cataracts.

Anterior polar cataract is located at the anterior pole of the lens and looks like white spot with sharp boundaries. If the cataract somewhat stands in the anterior chamber in the form of a small conical elevation, then it is called pyramidal. In these cases, clouding is localized in the center of the pupil, and therefore visual acuity decreases. Posterior polar cataract is located at the posterior pole of the lens and is defined as a round, grayish-white opacity. Often - this is the remnant of the artery of the vitreous body, which survived on the bag of the lens. Congenital polar cataracts are always bilateral and are often combined with other anomalies in the development of the eye. A central cataract is a sharply circumscribed spherical opacification in the center of the lens, about 2 mm in diameter. Fusiform cataract - clouding of the lens in the form of a cloudy thin spindle that stretches from one pole of the lens to the other.

Another type of congenital cataract that is quite common is the zonular or layered cataract. A zonular cataract is characterized by a layer of opacification surrounding a clear or less cloudy core and clear peripheral layers. In some cases, there is an alternation of two or even three cloudy layers, separated from each other by more transparent layers. Characteristic for zonular cataracts are the so-called "riders", which are cloudy bundles of fibers in the equatorial region of the perinuclear zone. The possibility of both congenital and postnatal development of zonular cataract has been established. In congenital zonular cataracts, opacification is localized in the region of the embryonic nucleus. With extrauterine development of cataracts, opacification is located outside the nucleus. Visual acuity depends on the degree of clouding.

A complete soft cataract is characterized by clouding of the entire lens. The lens masses liquefy, then they can gradually dissolve. This process takes various periods of time. As a result, a dense bag remains - membranous cataract. In some cases, the clouding of the lens undergoes resorption even in the embryonic period, and the child is born with a membranous cataract. Lime layers (white dots) can be seen on it, as well as cholesterol crystals (yellowish dots). A complete soft cataract is often combined with other signs of underdevelopment of the eye - a decrease in its size, nystagmus, strabismus.

Acquired cataracts can occur throughout life.

Cataract in dermatitis. It includes clouding of the lens with scleroderma and neurodermatitis. This type of cataract is observed most often in young people; it is double-sided, ripens quickly. Opacities are located mainly in the area of ​​the lens pole with frequent participation in the process of the anterior capsule.

Diabetic cataract is observed in 1-4% of diabetic patients. At a young age, cataract usually occurs with severe diabetes, it is bilateral, it progresses rapidly. The biomicroscopic picture in the initial stages is characterized by the appearance of flaky, whitish-grayish opacities in the most superficial subepithelial layers of the lens along its entire anterior and posterior surface. Opacities under the posterior lens capsule merge and form saucer-shaped planar opacities. In diabetic cataracts, blurring of the interface zones is noted, a large number of vacuoles located under the bag, sometimes merging with each other and filling the subcapsular space. In patients older than 40 years, in addition to changes under the capsule, sclerosis of the lens nucleus or its clouding is often noted. Diabetic cataracts are characterized by a change in refraction in the earliest stages of cataract development, a change in the iris.

Tetanic cataract due to hypocalcemia due to hypofunction parathyroid glands. Clinical picture practically does not differ from that in diabetic cataract. The diagnosis is made on the basis of a general examination of the patient (presence of tetany or spasmophilia).

Cataracts in poisoning (toxic cataracts). Develop in severe general poisoning. One of the most characteristic is naphthalene cataract, caused by the inhalation of naphthalene vapors. The development of a cataract begins with the appearance of opacities under the anterior and posterior lens capsule, which spreads to its cortical layers in the form of separate cloudy foci. Further, there is a deposition of crystals on the posterior lens capsule and in the vitreous body, which are visible in transmitted light. Other types of toxic cataracts are observed in case of poisoning with dinitrophenol, trinitrotoluene, mercury and other compounds. To toxic or chemical cataracts, cataracts with siderosis and chalcosis should also be attributed.

A complicated cataract is caused various reasons associated with pathological processes in the eye (inflammatory and degenerative processes, tuberculous uveitis, retinitis pigmentosa, high myopia, retinal detachment); begin in the posterior cortical layers, often have characteristic shape stars. Complicated is the so-called Fuchs heterochromic cataract, characterized by a triad; heterochromia of the iris, cataract, precipitates.

Cataract with mechanical damage (traumatic cataract) develops as a result of a penetrating injury to the eye with or without implantation foreign body and eye contusion. A cataract with an eye contusion is sometimes accompanied by the appearance of a Fossius ring - a delicate ring in the center of the lens that develops as a result of the imposition of small, Brown color particles of the posterior pigment layer of the iris onto the anterior lens capsule. The most typical eye contusion is rosette cataract.

Radiation cataract is caused by exposure to radiant energy.

senile cataract. There are presenile and senile senile cataracts. Presenile cataract occurs at a relatively young age. This is a coronal cataract that develops in the deep cortical layers of the lens near its equator, outside the pupil area. In this regard, vision does not suffer for a long time. Opacities in coronal cataracts have the form of radial bands, thinning towards the equator of the lens and creating a picture of a kind of rim. In some cases, the color of the opacities is blue (blue cataract). Presenile cataract usually progresses slowly.

Senile cataract develops in people over 60 years of age and is divided into initial, immature (swelling), mature and overripe.

The initial cataract is characterized by accumulation inside the lens, mainly in the area of ​​the sutures, clear liquid- water slits of the lens. The accumulation of moisture in the area of ​​the seams forms a peculiar pattern of radial stripes. Initial opacities, localized in the anterior and posterior cortical layers, when viewed in transmitted light give the impression of spokes. Gradually increasing, they capture the pupil area. Most often initial changes appear in the cortical layers of the lens. Less commonly, they begin in the region of the nucleus in the form of diffuse cloudy grayish opacities (nuclear, nuclear cataracts). There are still transparent layers under the anterior lens capsule. This is determined by the shadow from the iris, which lies on the lens under focal illumination. The lens increases in volume, swells (immature, swelling cataract).

At mature cataract clouding of all cortical layers of the lens up to the most anterior capsule is observed. With focal illumination, the shadow from the iris on the lens is no longer detected. Vision is reduced to light perception with the correct projection of light. At overripe cataract the entire lens turns into a gray monotonous mass. Randomly scattered white spots resulting from degeneration of epithelial cells are often visible under the anterior capsule. In the future, the cortical substance of the lens liquefies, in connection with which its nucleus descends to the lower equator (Morganian cataract). In other cases, the cortical layers become dense, causing the lens to wrinkle somewhat. In some cases, the process of excessive sclerosis of the lens nucleus is accompanied by a dark brown, sometimes almost black color of the lens (black cataract).

Senile cataracts can also begin subcapsularly, spreading from the posterior pole of the lens towards the equator (cup-shaped cataract). Consider senile posterior subcapsular cataract and presenile posterior cortical cataract. With senile posterior subcapsular cataract, in addition to changes under the posterior capsule, sclerosis of the nucleus is noted. At the same time, a grayish or brownish opacity is determined under the posterior capsule of the lens. Opacity lines the posterior capsule with a thin, even layer, in which vacuoles and small crystals are observed.

Presenile posterior cortical cataract occurs in people more than young age. Sometimes it is not accompanied by nuclear sclerosis. Opacification also begins under the posterior lens capsule in central departments posterior cortical layers and then spreads to its periphery.

Prevention

Prevention is easier than cure. But in the case of cataracts, one has to take into account that this disease is a manifestation of the aging of the body, especially for age-related cataracts.

Important recommendations for patients with cataracts of the eye are compliance with the norms healthy lifestyle life: do not smoke, do not abuse alcohol, do not overeat, avoid negative shocks. At first glance, the recommendations are of a general nature and are aimed at preventing not only cataracts, but also other diseases. But medical practice shows: if their observance does not completely protect a person from cataracts, then their non-observance can greatly contribute to its appearance.

There are also special recommendations for the prevention of cataracts. These include eye protection from ultraviolet and microwave radiation. In addition, be careful when taking medications: steroid and antiallergic drugs, antidepressants and contraceptives.

Particular attention will be required to control the level of sugar in the blood. Even with the initial manifestations of diabetes mellitus, a choice is required best method treatment, because diabetes is one of the main enemies of the organs of vision.

Diagnostics

Cataract is an insidious disease and only a qualified specialist can determine whether you have it. Unfortunately, many patients pay attention to the health of their eyes only when it starts to bother them.

The main method for diagnosing cataracts is to examine the fundus in good light. Sometimes such an inspection already indicates certain problems. A more in-depth study is carried out with the help of a light (slit) lamp - biomicroscopy of the eye, which provides directional illumination and magnification. Its light beam has the shape of a slit.

The basis for the development of this technology was the discovery of the Swedish physicist Guldstrandt. In 1911, he created a device designed to illuminate the eyeball, which later became known as the slit lamp. To illuminate the eye, the scientist did not use the light source itself, but its actual reverse image, projected in the region of the slit-like diaphragm. A narrowly limited beam of light made it possible to create a clear contrast between the studied (illuminated) and unilluminated participants in the patient's eye, which later experts began to call light activity. Biomicroscopy allows the ophthalmologist to see all the details of the eyeball and examine in detail not only the outer, but also the deeply located tissue structures of the eye.

In addition to examining the fundus with a slit lamp, the diagnosis of cataracts includes: artificial lens (intraocular lens). Individual calculation of parameters is carried out thanks to a device unique in Russia - "IOL-master" (ZEISS). Such a device allows you to simultaneously measure not only the length of the eye, the curvature of the cornea, the depth of the anterior chamber, assess the state of the natural lens, but also optimally calculate the parameters of the artificial lens.

Complications

In some cases, the development of cataracts stops at certain stages, but it never goes away on its own. If left untreated, advanced or advanced cataracts can lead to blindness. Cataracts are the most common cause of vision loss in people over 55 years of age. Fortunately, it can almost always be cured. surgically, but the operation can also cause complications, for example:

Endophthalmitis, or intraocular infection. Surgeons do their best to avoid infection during the operation. In addition, immediately after surgery, patients are given antibiotic eye drops, which they will have to use for several weeks to avoid infection. However, despite all these precautions, about one in three thousand cataract surgery results in endophthalmitis. Its symptoms are severe redness of the eye, pain, hypersensitivity to light and blurred vision. Sometimes symptoms appear as early as a few hours after surgery, and in some cases only a few days later. If a patient develops endophthalmitis, they are usually given injections of antibiotics to limit the spread of the infection. Sometimes additional surgery is required to quickly get rid of the infection;

Cystoid macular edema. macula, or yellow spot is the region of maximum visual acuity in the retina. Sometimes after cataract surgery inflammatory processes lead to the fact that fluid accumulates there, as a result of which vision deteriorates. This complication is called cystoid macular edema. It is usually treated with steroids or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Vision is restored after a few weeks or even months after the start of the course of treatment.

Contraindications

In order to somehow cope with the disease, it is necessary to perform an operation. But like any other surgical intervention, there are also contraindications for cataract surgery. The operation itself can be performed by several methods, but the choice of method depends on the clinic in which the operation is performed and how much the disease process has gone.

True contraindications for the removal of cataracts of the eye do not yet exist. That is, the operation can be performed at almost any age. However, there are so-called relative contraindications which are definitely worth paying attention to.

Such contraindications include the following diseases:

  • Diabetes of any type and any complexity
  • Hypertension in any degree
  • Heart disease - congenital and acquired
  • chronic diseases

These contraindications to cataract surgery should be taken into account, but this does not mean that the operation will be impossible with them. Just before removing a cataract, you should definitely consult with your doctor and find out exactly how the above diseases will affect the course of the operation itself and the healing process.

After the operation, the restoration of vision in a person can take up to a week. However, everything is strictly individual here. It will depend on how the operation was performed, and what was the success of its implementation.

After the operation to remove the cataract, the patient is simply obliged to follow a number of rules.

Firstly, for a long time he cannot lift more than three kilograms of weight.

Secondly, you should not make too sudden movements and do not tilt your head too much down. This may cause bad behavior in postoperative period, and in some cases may lead to a second operation.

Thirdly, limit exposure to the open sun, do not visit a bath or sauna, do not use too hot water when washing.

Fourth, when leaving the house at any time of the year, be sure to wear sunglasses.

If the patient after the operation has some other diseases that affect vision and the condition of the eyes, then rehabilitation period can take quite a long time.

Similar posts