Risk factors of cataracts include:
- Old age
- Ethnicity, with an increased risk among Native American and African American
- Female, although this is not proven for all types of cataracts
- Family history (genetic factors), especially for those who suffer from other inherited diseases. They have a risk of developing the disease up to 50%. Of hereditary diseases that associated cataract, remember: miotonica dystrophy (the most common adult muscular dystrophy) and galactosemia (a rare disease, with impaired galactose metabolism)
- Iris color, from an unknown reason, prone to cataracts in people with dark brown or black eyes
Some chronic diseases may increase the risk of cataracts. Remind them of the most important:
- Diabetes. Patients with diabetes have an increased risk of occurrence of cataract, the lens through injury occurred as the result of chronic hyperglycemia (elevated blood glucose level)
- Glaucoma. Some medicines used to treat glaucoma cataracts increase risk. Surgical treatment of glaucoma can also increase your risk of cataracts
- Hypertension. There is a link between hypertension and cataract appearance but without knowing the exact pathophysiological mechanism.
Other risk factor
- smoking. Smokers have a higher risk of doing cataract, because smoke affects different lens through free radicals and toxic substances released during smoking. Free radicals can damage any cell, including lens cells
- Infections occurring during pregnancy may affect the fetus, such as rubella or chickenpox can cause cataracts after birth
- Ultraviolet light (UV) light, especially type B (UVB) can cause cataracts. Studies have shown that prolonged exposure to UVB can cause accidental or professional cataract after a certain time
- alcohol, especially chronic consumption was defined by various studies that may cause cataracts
- Prolonged corticotherapy (powerful anti-inflammatory drugs), used especially in patients with immune diseases, asthma or emphysema (last 2 disease is used inhaled corticotherapy)
- hypertriglyceridemia (high level of triglycerides in the blood) by submitting them in small pots sanghine can worsen cataracts
Some symptoms may signal a worsening of cataract or the appearance of serious complications:
- Severe eye pain
- Double vision or sudden loss of vision (amaurosis fugitive)
Ophthalmological necessary in the following situations:
- The need to frequently change lenses for glasses
- Double vision, blurred vision, occurred gradually
- During the day due to cluttered fotofobiei (pronounced sensitivity to light)
- Driving difficult at night due to increased sensitivity to traffic lights
- Visual impairment that affects daily activities
In adults suffering from eye cataracts is recommended to control a specified time by the family doctor.
Symptoms
In most cases cataract causes some visual disturbances, such as:
- Blurred vision, slow, confusing
- Photophobia (hate the light) or the natural or artificial. Driving is also difficult due to visual discomfort caused by light traffic lights
- Need relatively frequent change of glasses lenses
- Double vision
- Difficulties in carrying out daily activities due to visual disturbances
It is important for parents to observe various visual disorders in children for early identification of cataract (juvenile cataracts) or other eye diseases
Diagnosis
Not necessarily a screening test (test performed mass for early detection of disease) to detect cataracts, because most adults who have cataracts presents itself first to make an ophthalmological symptoms. However, parents with children who show different visual, ask your ophthalmologist to confirm or refute the diagnosis of cataracts
Treatment
Surgery is the only method currently used to treat symptoms caused by cataract. This is to remove the lens (the eye's natural lens), damaged by cataracts. Normally the lens is to focus the light beam which then passes through other components of the eye to reach the retina, where the image is formed. Lens can be replaced with a similar piece artificial implant called intraocular or it can be used instead of a contact lens with identical function.
Surgery is not needed until several months or years after onset. Meanwhile Patients correct this refractive error by using special glasses or contact lenses.
Juvenile Cataract Treatment depends on how it interfere with normal development of visual sense.
In some cases, surgery among people with cataract is needed for other ophthalmic pathology associated as diabetic retinopathy or macular degeneration. Also, in some cases have cataracts removed from an ophthalmologist specializing in retinal diseases and optic nerve.
Often there is a misconception about cataracts, as in recent years have developed several information campaigns for people with cataracts. It is important to know that surgery is only necessary if you are serious visual disturbances and affect the normal course of daily activities.
Due to fear of not completely losing sight, some older patients want surgery made all the eye exam results and does not recommend this defect can be corrected by wearing glasses or special lenses. In these cases it is not justified risk surgery (higher in the elderly, who may associate and other diseases).
Patient with cataract alone decide if symptoms are sufficiently severe and affect personal life so that appropriate surgical treatment.
