Cataracts are a disease of the eyes in which the lens of the eye becomes cloudy. The first symptoms usually only become noticeable very late, meaning that treatment of cataracts is also delayed. If left untreated, cataracts lead to loss of vision.
Here you will find all the information about cataracts and recommended specialists for the treatment of cataracts.
A particular characteristic of cataracts in the advanced stage of the disease is a grayish coloration behind the pupil. This is caused by the gradual clouding of the lens of the eye.
The term "cataract" is derived from this coloration. It mainly affects older people over the age of 60, which is why cataracts are often referred to as senile cataracts.
In the advanced stages of cataracts, a greyish discoloration occurs behind the pupil
Cataracts are the most common cause of blindness in the human eye worldwide. It is particularly common in developing countries due to a lack of medical care.
Every year, over 600,000 people in Germany undergo surgery to treat cataracts. The chances of curing this eye disease are very good. As many as 90 percent of people who undergo surgery subsequently achieve a visual performance of between 50 and 100 percent.
For people aged between 52 and 64, the probability of the disease occurring is a good 50 percent. Almost all people between the ages of 65 and 75 develop cataracts. However, 50% of those affected do not notice the disease until the age of 75.
Cataracts develop at an advanced age in almost all people
Cataracts can have many causes. In most people, cataracts develop from around the age of 60(age-related cataracts), and the causes are usually hereditary. Only in very rare cases do children and adolescents also suffer from this disease.
Cataracts can also be triggered by medication such as cortisone. Various types of radiation are also considered to be a cause of cataracts:
It is therefore essential to wear protective goggles to protect your eyes. In the tropics in particular, the direct sunlight means that cataracts can be expected to develop at a very early age. Here, cataracts often appear between the ages of 40 and 50.
The sun's rays damage the eyes. Protect yourself from UV rays!
Smoking and other eye injuries also promote the development of the disease. Eye injuries include
Another risk factor isdiabetes. The resulting form of clouding of the lens, known as diabetes cataract, mainly affects younger people who suffer from type I diabetes. In contrast, age-related cataracts can occur prematurely with type II diabetes. This is due to the fact that these people only have an insensitivity of the sugar-processing tissue to insulin. The insulin deficiency occurs later.
A lack of important nutrients or skin diseases such as neurodermatitis can also be triggers for the development of the eye disease.
Cataracts can also be congenital. This either has hereditary causes or is due to a complication during pregnancy, such as rubella in the mother.
Cataracts cause a clouding of the lens. The incident light is diffusely refracted by this clouding. At the same time, this ensures that the sensitivity to glare of the affected person increases significantly: The effect can be compared to a fogged-up windshield in a car, which glares brightly when the sunlight hits it head-on.
Those affected often notice cataracts for the first time when driving in poor weather conditions. The symptoms vary greatly depending on the severity. Affected people therefore have varying degrees of visual impairment.
The symptoms of cataracts usually become apparent later in the course of the disease:
Another major problem for many affected people is the change in sharp vision at a distance and close up. In the case of posterior subcapsular corneal opacity, near vision is impaired. In the case of a so-called nuclear cataract in the eye of the person affected, an effect on distance vision can be observed.
Cataracts can also develop into a so-called total cataract and thus lead to blindness. In this case, the entire lens of the eye is affected. In such cases, it is particularly important to plan the treatment of cataracts at an early stage.
The doctor uses a slit lamp microscope for diagnosis. This microscope allows the lens in the eye to be magnified six to forty times. The cornea, the posterior surface and the anterior chamber of the eye can also be examined with the aid of this microscope.
During the examination, eye drops are used to ensure that the pupil of the eye opens wide for a short time.
Slit lamp examination
During this examination, the patient sits in front of the microscope. The patient's chin and forehead are clamped in place. The doctor first examines the cornea of the eye, as this may be the source of a visual impairment caused by cataracts. The cause could be an irregular curvature of the cornea.
Cataract in the light of a slit lamp
If a cataract is suspected, a videokeratoscopy can investigate this further. Here, a computerized image of the cornea that may be affected is created.
In addition, the thickness of the cornea and the endothelial cell density are usually measured. With the help of these procedures, the doctor can rule out other eye diseases and make a reliable diagnosis.
As with many diseases, early detection also plays an important role in cataracts. It is therefore generally recommended to undergo a preventive examination by an ophthalmologist at regular intervals from the age of 40.
Unfortunately, this examination is not yet covered by health insurance.
If left untreated, cataracts are accompanied by a gradual loss of vision and even blindness. Initially, those affected become short-sighted. As the disease often occurs at an advanced age, existing presbyopia is initially compensated for. This means that those affected can suddenly see again for a short time without glasses. However, vision continues to deteriorate. The image becomes cloudy and increasingly blurred. Without surgery, cataracts eventually lead to blindness.
As a rule, both eyes are affected by cataracts. However, the disease can progress at different rates. The loss of vision depends, among other things, on where the clouding of the lens begins. The process often progresses more quickly in younger people.
Cataracts are treated with a lens replacement as part of cataract surgery. This involves replacing the clouded lens with an artificial lens. The operation is usually performed under local anesthesia on an outpatient basis.
There are two basic lens replacement procedures: intracapsular and extracapsular. In extracapsular surgery, the capsule remains in the eye. Extracapsular phacoemulsification is currently the most common procedure .
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Artificial eye lens
After a consultation with the doctor, the decision to have cataract surgery can be easier. The time of treatment is usually chosen based on the person's current life situation. The progression of the cataract and the associated visual impairment play a decisive role here.
Either drops or an injection are used to anesthetize the eye. The incision is only two to three millimetres long and heals on its own afterwards.
Through this small incision, the doctor uses ultrasound to liquefy the nucleus and cortex of the lens. The resulting fluid is then sucked out of the eye.
During cataract surgery, the doctor leaves the lateral and posterior lens capsule in place. The artificial lens is initially folded or collapsed and inserted into the capsular bag. The soft artificial lens first expands in the eye and takes on its shape. The doctor then anchors the lens in the remaining capsular oval using its fine retaining clips.
Non-hinged lenses are very rarely used today. It is also possible to implant the artificial lens behind the pupil.
Here you will find detailed information on the cataract surgery procedure.
The operation is followed by follow-up treatment with an ointment dressing. This generally remains on the eye until the next day.
In the first four weeks after the operation, antibiotic and anti-inflammatory eye drops must be used at regular intervals. In addition, the treated eye must be examined by an ophthalmologist at certain intervals. After around six to eight weeks, the eye and cataract can finally be said to have healed.
If the second eye also needs to be operated on, it is usually necessary to wait about a month before the operation. This is the only way to take into account possible complications of cataract healing in the first eye.
The development of cataracts cannot be prevented, but the symptoms can largely be remedied by surgery. In addition, measures to slow down the progression of cataracts have not yet been medically proven. Measures to prevent cataracts are not possible according to current medical knowledge.
It is important to protect the eyes from UV radiation, for example by wearing sunglasses with tested UV protection.
To prevent congenital cataracts, the expectant mother should definitely be vaccinated against rubella.
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