Symptoms of Cataract in the Eye

Symptoms of cataract in the eye appear as the age progresses. Cataract disease occurs when the lens of the eye or the membrane surrounding the lens of the eye becomes cloudy. This condition prevents light from refracting and reaching the back of the eye, preventing vision. This condition, which can cause blindness if left untreated, manifests itself with conditions such as cloudy, blurred and double vision. Difficulty seeing and sensitivity to light are also among the symptoms of cataract. It is also described in ways such as a curtain in the eye. Cataract problem manifests itself in many ways. If these symptoms affect the quality of life and do not go away for a long time, it is definitely useful to see an ophthalmologist. Some of the cataract symptoms are as follows:

• Loss of depth of vision
• Difficulty seeing while driving
• Sensitivity to light
• Difficulty seeing at distance or near
• Eye strain
• Decreased night vision
• Headache
• Good near vision without glasses
• Blurred vision
• Needing extra light when reading a book or similar

People with cataract disease begin to experience light sensitivity with the deterioration of the structure in the transparent eye lenses. It causes the lights to appear more blurred or in the form of lines. This blurring of the lens of the eye reduces the angle of vision. If these symptoms persist for a long time, it is important to see a doctor.

What is Cataract?

Questions such as what is cataract and how it occurs are one of the most researched questions on the internet. The lens of the eye normally has a transparent structure and light passes through this lens and reaches the back chamber of the eye. This enables the act of seeing to take place. However, in people with cataract disease, the lens of the eye becomes cloudy. The transparent structure is lost and less light passes through. This causes vision problems, blurred vision and the need for more light. The most common symptoms of cataracts include blurred vision, headache, glare and light sensitivity. Sensitivity to light and problems with distance and near vision are other common symptoms of cataracts. If this condition is not treated and the lens of the eye is not replaced or cleaned, this condition can cause blindness. In this surgery, the lens of the eye is cleaned and an intraocular lens is placed to restore the person's health. There are two types of cataract. These are

• Age-related cataract: This becomes more common after the age of 55-60, and vision gradually decreases. Cataract is among the diseases that occur with old age. The risk of cataract is higher in diabetic patients. Cataract progresses faster in these patients. For this reason, it is absolutely necessary to go to a doctor's control before visual problems experienced with advancing age are considered normal.
• Congenital Cataract: It occurs when one or both eyes lose their transparency at birth. The lens of the eye becomes opaque and manifests itself in this way. The discomforts or infections experienced by the mother during pregnancy are also effective in the occurrence of this condition. This condition can also occur with the medications used by the mother, or it can occur spontaneously without any condition.

What are the Causes of Cataract?

There are many factors among the causes of cataract . Cataracts are caused by protein deposits in the natural lens behind the pupil. With this deposit, the lens of the eye loses its transparency. The lens of the eye becomes increasingly dull and prevents vision. There are some diseases that cause this condition. This condition, which is more prone to occur with age, can also occur with various health problems. Age, smoking, alcohol, diabetes, high blood pressure and genetic conditions are effective in the emergence of cataracts. Other conditions that cause cataracts to occur can be listed as follows:

• Excessive exposure to sunlight
• Uveitis
• Previous eye diseases and surgeries
• Radiation used in cancer treatment
• Old age
• Genetic predisposition
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Wounds in the eye
• Long-term use of drugs such as steroids
• Smoking and alcohol consumption
• Other environmental factors

The treatment of this condition, which occurs with symptoms of foggy or smoky vision, is cataract surgery. Thanks to this surgery, people can regain their former health and vision.

What is Cataract Surgery?

Questions such as what cataract surgery is and how it is performed are researched by people with this condition. This surgery, which is performed by cleaning the accumulated protein in the eye and inserting intraocular lenses, takes a very short time. With this surgery, people can see as before and live a more comfortable life. Thanks to intraocular lenses, the ability to see more comfortably without using contact lenses or glasses is restored. For this, it is important to work with specialised doctors and a reliable clinic. The operation is performed through small 2.2 mm incisions made at the edge of the cornea. General anaesthesia is not used in this operation. Only anaesthetic drops and different solutions for different conditions are used. In this way, the operation is completed without hospitalisation. Cataract surgery is mostly performed with anaesthetic eye drops, without injections; light sedation is given if needed. Cataract surgery takes about 15-20 minutes per eye on average. After the operation, patients can return to daily life within 3-4 days; full recovery takes 3-4 weeks. Cataract surgery is performed by making small incisions. Special devices are inserted into these incisions and the deposits in the lens are cleaned. Afterwards, the patient's own damaged lens is removed and replaced with a new lens. These lenses replace the patient's own eye lens. Moreover, with customisable lenses, the patient's problems of not being able to see far or near are eliminated. It is absolutely necessary to undergo a detailed check-up before cataract surgery. Conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure should be reported to the doctor. The treatment method to be applied to the patient is determined by measuring the eye structure and size. For this, it is very important to consult specialised doctors.