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Cataract: Cataract’s Effects, Causes, Treatments and More!

More about cataract lenses

What is a Cataract?

Cataracts are age-related changes that occur in the lens present inside the eye. They commonly occur due to ageing and can often cause blurry vision as the lens becomes foggy. The only treatment for cataracts is eye surgery or phacoemulsification.

The lens resides behind the iris (coloured part of your eye). It is made up of protein, and this protein changes with age. Usually, cataracts develop and progress slowly. In the initial stages of a cataract, the person may not complain of any vision difficulties and are usually corrected by changing glasses or increasing light.

However, as the cataract advances, people struggle to read under dim light. They might also face glare while driving at night. 

Know in detail about Cataract or motiyabind.

 

Before Cataract surgery

How does Cataract affect vision?

The rays of light pass through the eye's various layers to form an image on the retina. This information then goes to the brain. If the rays cannot reach the retina for some reason, vision will become blurry.

The lens inside the eye is one such layer, and when it becomes foggy or white, it can block the rays of light from passing through. Early cataracts do not cause significant vision loss. As cataracts become denser, even bright light cannot pass through, which leads to blurred vision.

Causes of Cataracts

Causes of Cataracts include:

  • Ageing
  • Eye Injury or traumatic cataracts
  • Eye Surgery
  • Uveitis (Inflammation in the eye)
  • Congenital - Some metabolic disturbances in the child can cause congenital cataracts. Some infections that the mother or the child acquire can also cause congenital cataracts

Some health problems and treatments can also make cataracts more likely, including: 

  • Diabetes
  • Smoking 
  • Drinking too much alcohol 
  • Spending too much time in the sun without sunglasses 
  • Taking steroids medicines which are used to treat a variety of health problems, like arthritis or allergies, for a long time 
  • Getting radiation treatment for cancer or other diseases

Symptoms of Cataracts

In the initial stages, cataracts do not cause significant vision difficulties. These difficulties are corrected by changing glasses or increasing the room lights. As the cataract advances, vision difficulties begin to increase gradually.

Some of the common cataract symptoms are:

  • Clouded, blurred, or dim vision
  • Increasing difficulty while viewing at night
  • Sensitivity to light and glare
  • Need for brighter light for reading and other activities
  • Seeing halos around lights
  • Frequent changes in eyeglass or contact lens prescription
  • Fading or yellowing of colors
  • Double vision in a single eye or monocular diplopia
After Cataract Surgery
Intraocular Lens (IOL) seen on a microscope

Cataract Surgery

Today, cataract surgery is the most common eye procedure performed worldwide. As science has advanced, modern cataract surgery has become far superior. A 2 mm incision is made in the eye, and through this incision, the cataract is removed, and the IOL is placed in the eye. The surgery is a daycare procedure without any injections or sutures. 

Most of the cataract surgeries are performed for age-related cataracts. Many years ago, the surgery performed was known as extracapsular cataract surgery. Here a large incision, up to 5mm, was made, and then after removing the cataract, was sutured.

Book an appointment for a Cataract Operation in Mumbai with Eye Solutions.

Types of Cataracts Surgery

There are mainly two types of cataract surgeries.

  1. Phacoemulsification
  2. Femtosecond assisted phacoemulsification

Phacoemulsification is the more popular type of cataract surgery. More than 90% of cataract surgeries today are done by this method. The surgery takes less than 15 min, and while patients may feel that something is going on, they rarely complain of pain.

Femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery or laser cataract surgery is the newer method of performing cataract surgery. However, because there is no significant benefit to the patient, this technique has not gained popularity. Here, a laser is used to make the 2 mm incision instead of a blade. The cracking of the cataract also is done by the laser. Post the laser procedure, the patient is then shifted to the operation theatre, and standard phacoemulsification is done.

Know about What Happens in a Cataract Consultation?

 

Pediatric Cataract Treatment

Infant cataracts occur because of a malformation of the lens during early intrauterine life and are hereditary in about 20% of cases. Vision will range from slightly to severely impaired. Your cataract specialist must remove severe cataracts occurring near the time of birth within weeks, or vision can fail to develop normally, and the eye may become legally blind.

Your cataract specialist may initially treat less severe cataracts with patching therapy, dilating eye drops, or glasses. We perform pediatric cataract surgery under general anaesthesia. With modern instrumentation and techniques, cataract surgery performed by a pediatric ophthalmologist is considered safe and effective.

Precautions or Aftercare Cataract Surgery

Some of the instructions to keep in mind after cataract surgery:

  • Don’t skip follow-up appointments 
  • Keep eyes covered with protective glasses during the day. At night it's crucial to use a cup to prevent accidental touching of the eyes while sleeping.
  • Keep eyes away from water, meaning no head bath or washing the face for seven days.
  • Use eye drops as prescribed.
  • Report to your doctor in case of redness, watering, pain, and blurry vision
  • Avoid rubbing your eyes and wearing makeup
  • Stay away from dusty regions

 

Get information regarding What are eye drops after cataract surgery?

 

Factors that increase the risk of cataracts may be:

  • High blood pressure
  • Excessive alcohol intake 
  • Smoking
  • Age
  • Eye injuries and surgeries
  • Obesity
  • Excessive exposure to UV rays

Types of Cataract Lens

All cataract surgeries involve implanting a lens inside your eye. There are multiple options that one can choose from. Let's divide them into the following three categories:

Monofocal Lens: These lenses focus on one distance. This distance could be far or near. Usually, the far distance is chosen.

Everything you need to know about Monofocal Cataract lenses.

Toric Lenses: These lenses are used for those who have astigmatism or a cylindrical number. 

Everything you need to know about Toric Astigmatism lenses.

Presbyopia correcting lenses: Presbyopia means the need to wear reading glasses. Lenses are available that will make you glass-free for up to 90% of all your daily activities. These lenses could be multifocal trifocals or EDOF lenses.

Everything you need to know about EDOF lenses, Multifocal lenses and Trifocal Lenses.

 

Cataract Treatment in Mumbai

The most common surgery performed at Eye Solutions is cataract surgery in Mumbai. It’s also known as the Motibindu operation in Hindi. Our team of cataract surgeons at our locations are some of the best cataract surgeons in Mumbai. For this reason, we are considered one of the best cataract surgery hospitals in Mumbai. Cataract surgery is also known as 'Phacoemulsification' or 'Phaco surgery.'

Top Cataract Specialists  in Mumbai

Eye Solutions have one of the top Cataract Specialists in Mumbai. We have 15+ years of diverse experience as an Ophthalmologist/Eye Surgeon. 

Dr Deepak Garg and Dr Urmi shah are two Cataract Specialists at Eye Solutions. 

Here are the reasons why you should choose us for your cataract surgery:

  1. Our team consists of the best cataract surgeons in Mumbai
  2. We are not an individual practice, but a group of specialists and thus can take care of any eye condition.
  3. Service-Oriented Hospital – We know that we are an eyecare organization and one that offers delightful service to its patients.

Contact us now to book an appointment for cataract surgery in Mumbai.

Zeiss Trifocal Lens
The Zeiss Trifocal Lens for glass free vision

Frequently Asked Questions ?

What causes cataracts?
The most typical cause of cataracts is age. It is an age-related change in the transparent natural lens of the eye. The lens is made up of proteins which may become white over time. Other causes of secondary cataracts are eye injury, uveitis, diabetes and steroids.

What is cataract surgery?
Cataract surgery is the process of removing the cataract, the opaque natural lens of the eye, and replacing it with an artificial lens, an Intraocular lens or IOL. The process is called phacoemulsification, and it is a quick, painless surgery.

is cataract surgery painful?
No, cataract surgery is not painful. You may feel something going on during the surgery but no pain. It is done without any injections, and eyes are numbed with eye drops only. The surgery takes about 10 minutes.

What is the first sign of cataract?
The first sign of cataracts could be difficulty reading in dim light. You may also see halos and glare when looking at lights. There may be a feeling of a curtain-like thing in front of your eyes.

When to have cataract surgery?
You can get cataract surgery when you feel your vision is not good. Cataract surgery is not an emergency. You don’t have to wait till the cataract becomes ripe or ready. If you feel you are unable to watch TV or reading, you can get surgery.

Which lens is better for cataract surgery, Indian or imported?
Both Indian and foreign lenses are suitable for cataract surgery. Each lens has its advantages and disadvantages. The technological innovation happens with foreign lenses, followed by similar Indian lenses.

How long are you off work after cataract surgery?
You can work from home after cataract surgery from the day of surgery. You should not step out in dusty or dirty environments. Water should not enter the eye for seven days post-surgery, which means no head bath or washing of the face.

Can cataract surgery be done on both eyes at once?
Cataract surgery can be done for both eyes at once but this should be avoided. The risk of eye infections reduces when done on one eye at a time. Both eye cataract surgeries are done in special situations only, like in very young patients or high-risk patients.

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