At What Age Does Cataract Occur?

Cataract is an eye condition that can appear in people of any age. Questions such as at what age cataract occurs and how it develops are widely asked. Cataract is a condition in which the lens of the eye loses its transparency, causing a range of vision problems, and if it is not treated early it can lead to permanent sight loss. It makes itself known through symptoms such as extreme sensitivity to light, night blindness and blurred vision. Although it is among the most common eye conditions and becomes more common after the age of 55-60, it can also appear at a younger age. Across the population as a whole cataract becomes markedly more common after the age of 55-60; by the age of 80, more than half of people either have cataract or have had cataract surgery. Diabetes, corticosteroid use, eye trauma and metabolic disorders all raise the risk of cataract in childhood or young adulthood. In cataract, clouding develops in the lens of the eye, and although this structure is normally transparent it loses that quality. Because the lens loses this structural property, many problems with vision arise, presenting with symptoms such as unclear or blurred vision and the sense of a veil across the eye. It can also arise when protein builds up in this part of the eye. It may be congenital or age-related, and it can also be seen in younger people as a result of external factors. One of the most distinctive features of cataract is glare, together with haloes around lights. Headache, eye strain and extreme sensitivity to changes in light are among the other symptoms. The protein that gathers in the lens both obstructs vision and disturbs the structure of the lens. If it is not treated in time it is a problem that can lead to blindness, and its definitive solution is surgery.

How Does Cataract Develop?

How cataract develops is one of the questions asked most about this condition. Cataract begins with deterioration of the lens, one of the important structures located behind the pupil that make sight possible. This lens is entirely transparent, and it loses that transparency because of protein filling it. The lens then turns cloudy and comes to obstruct vision. There are many causes of cataract, chief among them age, diabetes and high blood pressure. The other causes can be listed as follows:

• Damage to the eye and various eye injuries
• Old age and congenital factors
• Genetic predisposition
• Smoking and alcohol consumption
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Excessive exposure to sunlight
• Long-term systemic, unsupervised or high-dose topical corticosteroid use
• Previous eye surgery
• Radiation given in cancer treatment, and intense UV-B exposure such as that of welders and mountaineers
• Other factors from the environment

Inflammation in the part of the eye called the uvea is known as uveitis. Certain steroid medicines are used to treat this condition, but they raise the risk of cataract. Long-term use of corticosteroid medicines is therefore one of the greatest external factors in the development of cataract. People with cataract generally come to the doctor with blurred vision and the feeling of a veil over the eye. As cataract advances, very different problems can appear. People with advanced cataract may lose their sight entirely. They have difficulty seeing while watching television, using a phone, reading a book or a newspaper, driving, and in low light. Glare and haloes around lights are among the most noticeable features.

Symptoms of Cataract

The symptoms of cataract appear in many forms, yet certain features stand out. Those symptoms can also be seen in other eye conditions, so an examination by a doctor is always needed. Cataract is one of the most common eye conditions and becomes more common after the age of 55-60. Beginning in the lens of the eye, it must be treated promptly, before it advances further. Some of its symptoms are:

• Difficulty seeing at distance and near
• Strong sensitivity to light
• Seeing lines around lights, that is haloes and glare
• Blurred vision
• A frequent need to change the prescription
• Eye strain
• A marked decline in night vision
• Difficulty reading books, magazines and newspapers
• Loss of depth perception
• Difficulty while driving
• Colours shifting towards yellow and brown
• Seeing colours as more faded

Cataract is examined in two different types, and its only treatment is surgery.

Types of Cataract

Cataract is divided into two types, congenital and age-related.

Congenital Cataract

This type of cataract is present from the moment of birth. The lens of the eye loses its transparency and becomes completely opaque. Infections contracted during pregnancy can cause it, and medicines taken during pregnancy also have a strong influence. Pregnancy should be passed through as free of problems as possible.

Age-Related Cataract

Cataract that develops with age becomes more common after the age of 55-60. The vision of these patients declines gradually, which can lead to confusion with other vision problems. People in this age range should never neglect their routine eye check-ups.

Diagnosis of Cataract

The earlier the diagnosis of cataract is made, the more straightforward the course of treatment. Cataract is diagnosed with a dilated pupil examination using a slit lamp and, where necessary, with densitometry or OCT imaging. When a doctor is consulted in line with the symptoms given above, an examination is first needed for a definitive diagnosis. Following those examinations the doctor makes the diagnosis and treatment begins. After the diagnosis the patient is taken in for cataract surgery. In this operation the damaged lens is removed and a new lens is put in its place, so that the patient gains vision clearer than before and continues with normal life.

Cataract Surgery

Cataract surgery is the only solution to this condition. During the operation the damaged lens is removed and lenses known as intraocular lenses are put in its place. The surgical method used most often in cataract operations is phacoemulsification, known as phaco. The opaque lens is broken up with an ultrasonic probe and aspirated, and a foldable artificial intraocular lens is then placed. Intraocular lenses come in many varieties. They allow one, two or all three focal distances to be chosen, and the lens to be fitted is decided before surgery. Once the cataract has been removed from the eye and the lens that has lost its function taken out, these lenses are fitted. The operation takes approximately fifteen to twenty minutes per eye, and patients return to normal life within a few days. Drop treatment must be used regularly for the first month, and heavy lifting, rubbing the eye and dusty environments should be avoided. Read more about cataract treatments