Worldwide, about 285 million people suffer from visual impairment
One third of all visual impairment in the world accounts for this disease.We deal with a specialist that is cataract eyes, how to get rid of, and how to prevent it.
WHAT IS AN EYE CATARACT?
In fact, it is a progressive clouding of the lens of the eye.The disease proceeds without pain, but it leads to a decrease in visual acuity and often even to its complete loss.
Most often, cataracts are found in older people, but can also occur in young people.
WHAT ARE THE MAIN SYMPTOMS?
Blurry vision
Blurred vision at any distance is the most common symptom of a cataract.Vision may be blurred , there is a feeling of film covering the eye.Over time, the light gets smaller on the retina.Special vision problems may occur at night.
Light sensitivity
Another early symptom of cataracts is photosensitivity.In bright light, it may be difficult to focus your eyesight.Even artificial light sources that haven’t bothered you before can now seem too bright and annoying.Driving a car at night due to the bright light of lanterns or headlights of oncoming cars also becomes a problem.
Double eyes
Sometimes a cataract causes double vision.And double vision can even with one closed eye.
Change in color perception
Cataracts affect the perception of colors: some shades begin to appear faded, with time all the images become brown or yellowish.At first, these changes may go unnoticed , but over time it will become difficult for you to distinguish between shades of blue and violet.
“Second” vision
Sometimes a cataract causes a temporary improvement in vision.Under the influence of changes, the lens begins to act as a powerful magnifying glass – this phenomenon is called the second vision, because patients who used reading glasses suddenly realize that they do not need them.However, as the disease progresses, vision deteriorates again.
The need for new glasses
Due to frequent vision changes, patients with cataracts have to constantly change glasses or contact lenses.It’s all about the progressive nature of the disease.Vision continues to deteriorate.
How does a cataract affect your vision?
In normal vision, light penetrates and passes through the lens of the eye. The lens focuses this light in the form of a distinct image on the retina, which is transmitted through the optic nerve to the brain. If the lens is clouded due to a cataract, the image becomes fuzzy. Some other diseases of the eye, such as myopia, also cause blurred vision. But some other symptoms are characteristic of cataracts.
HOW TO PREVENT CATARACT?
* Here is what can be done to reduce the risk of developing cataracts:
* Do not smoke
* Always wear a hat and sunglasses.
* Keep diabetes under control if you have it
* Limit alcohol intake.
WHOM CAN YOU DEVELOP?
In most cases, this is an age-related disease; more than half of people over 65 have such a diagnosis.But cataracts can also be congenital.It can also develop in children as a result of damage or eye disease.
WHAT CAUSES CATARACT?
The exact causes of the cataract are unknown.The risk of developing the disease increases with age.But the following factors may play an important role:
* Diabetes
* Smoking
* Alcohol abuse
* Mechanical damage to the eyes
* Long-term use of corticosteroids
* Prolonged exposure to solar radiation
* Also, ultraviolet radiation can sometimes cause cataracts and other visual impairments.
HOW TO DIAGNOSE CATARACT?
At the reception at the oculist or ophthalmologist.The specialist determines visual acuity, visual field, measures intraocular pressure, performs studies of the retina and optic nerve.Using a slit lamp, the doctor determines the degree of maturity of the cataract and lens opacities.
How to get rid of it?
If, as a result of a cataract, your vision has deteriorated so much that the situation cannot be corrected with glasses or contact lenses, you may need surgery.During the operation, the clouded lens is removed, replacing it with an artificial lens.
This operation is completely safe and very effective.If both eyes are affected by a cataract, the operation is performed first on one of them.
The most common and least traumatic way to remove cataracts today is phacoemulsification .The doctor makes a tiny incision and destroys the lens with ultrasound waves.The removed lens is replaced with an artificial intraocular lens.After such an operation, most often there is no need to wear glasses or contact lenses.
There is another way – installing intraocular lenses.This allows not only eliminating cataracts, but also eliminating the need to wear reading glasses, correcting hyperopia and myopia (multifocal intraocular lenses) and corneal astigmatism (toric intraocular lenses).
WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER THE OPERATION?
For several days after surgery, the eyes may be sensitive to light and itch.You may be prescribed special drops and recommended to wear an eye patch or goggles.The eyes are fully restored after the operation within eight weeks, although the vision improves much earlier.You may need to use reading glasses for a while.
WHAT ARE RISKS RELATED TO OPERATION?
Postoperative complications are extremely rare.The most common risks are associated with bleeding, infections, and changes in eye pressure.If detected early, the effects of these risks are treatable.In rare cases, surgery can cause retinal detachment, which requires immediate treatment.Sometimes the lens tissue left to maintain the lens may become cloudy, but this phenomenon is easily eliminated with a laser.
HOW TO UNDERSTAND, DO I NEED AN OPERATION OR NO?
Only your ophthalmologist will decide this.In rare cases, a cataract needs to be removed immediately, but most often the vision changes occur gradually, and patients postpone the operation until the glasses and contact lenses stop helping.If the cataract does not cause you any obvious inconvenience, you can wait with the operation.
Five signs that you have become worse to see
It often happens that a person goes to an oculist only when the lines on the monitor are blurred, and friends complain, they say, from a distance of five steps you will not know!But signs of reduced vision and the very serious diseases that are behind this can be recognized in advance, when the problem can be quickly resolved.
It often happens that a person goes to an oculist only when the lines on the monitor are blurred, and friends complain, they say, from a distance of five steps you will not know!But the signs of reduced vision and the very serious diseases that are behind this can be recognized in advance, when the problem can be solved quickly.
- Changing the clarity of the day
In the morning you see perfectly, but in the evening the outlines of objects begin to blur.To return them clarity, it is necessary either to rub their eyes strongly, or to press on the eyeballs .and babe clearly, and in the evening everything starts to blur.This may be a sign of myopathy.In this disease, the small blood vessels in the eyes are damaged.Often, myopathy accompanies type 2 diabetes.
- You lose movement agility.
Now and then they began to swoop down on people in the corridor, can’t you see the cars surrounding the car in the mirror, do you constantly touch objects standing on your side?Perhaps this is due to a decrease in peripheral vision.Usually, a person does not associate this problem with the eyes: they do not hurt, they are not tense, and you can look at objects far and close.But not from the side.Meanwhile, the loss of lateral vision may be the first symptom of such a serious disease as glaucoma.
- The appearance of the “blind zone”
Does it happen that a dark spot or a “blind zone” appears in your field of view for a couple of seconds?Then it just as suddenly passes.This may be a sign of age-related molecular degeneration — the most common cause of impaired vision in people over 50, reports EurekAlert .Another obvious symptom of this sore is a recurring illusion, when obviously straight lines appear wavy.
- Etude in brown tones
Does it feel like you are looking at the world through brown glasses?Or as if the film, shot with special filters – as if under the old days?After a few seconds, the colors of the world become ordinary again.This could be a cataract bell.The lens of the eye becomes cloudy, which in the future may even lead to partial or complete blindness.But now the cataract is successfully operated, after replacing the lens, vision is restored.
- Small flashes
Sometimes you see a lot of sharp small flashes before your eyes?For example, when you are doing some hard physical work, are you dragging down or are you sharply leaning?This condition may indicate a threat of retinal detachment.If this happens, we must urgently consult an ophthalmologist.
BTW
Apricots and fresh cabbage will help to save your eyes from the sun.
From the bright July sun often tears and eyes overwork.advises:
– To prevent the mucous eye from drying out, buy artificial tears in a pharmacy.There are quite a few such moisturizing solutions, you can choose by the price and size of the bottle.
– Eat apricots, good season is in full swing!In their pulp are many useful substances for the eyes – zeaxaltine and lutein .It is they who do not let the eyes get tired, filter the UV rays that fall on the retina.
– A glass of carrot juice per day is enough to provide “fuel” retinal cells.In the carrot a lot of vitamin A , which is necessary to nourish the eyes.
– To bring sore eyes in order will help lotions of infusion of chamomile, mint, lime color.The simplest thing is to hold for ten minutes on the eyelids cotton swabs moistened with strong cold tea.
– Are you crawling off from work with “stunned” eyes?Make a face mask of a mixture of 2 teaspoons of grated raw potatoes, 2 teaspoons of flour and 2 teaspoons of milk.The tool is simple, but effective.
– Remove the swelling from tired eyes will help compresses of finely chopped fresh cabbage leaves.
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