Cataract can be defined as the clouding of the natural lenses in the eyes. This is caused by the clumping of protein in the eye lens. Cataract is a common eye disorder and the leading cause of loss of vision in people who are past their fortieth birthday. Cataract can occur in one or both eyes. When diagnosed properly, cataract can be treated with surgery to prevent blindness.

Depending on where and how they develop, there are many types of cataract. The most common amongst these are:

1.        Subcapsular cataract

These occur at the back of the eye lens. Diabetic patients are very susceptible to this kind of cataract.

2.        Nuclear cataract

Yellowish-brown cataract that form in the center of the lens are called nuclear cataract. This is usually seen in cataract caused by ageing.

3.        Cortical cataract

Cataract in the lens cortex are known as cortical cataract. These are wedge shaped and whitish in color. Spokes protruding out of these opaque wedges can be seen moving towards the center of the eye.

4.        Congenital cataract

Though they are not common, babies can also have cataract. Cataract formed at birth or within the first year of a baby's birth are known as congenital cataract.

5.        Secondary cataract

Cataract is one of the known side effects of diabetes and glaucoma. Some steroids and medicines are also linked to cataract.

6.        Traumatic cataract

If your vision becomes cloudy years after an eye injury, it could be a traumatic cataract. It can take several years for this to happen.

7.        Radiation cataract

Exposure to radiation can also lead to cataract. This is seen sometimes in patients who have undergone radiation therapy to fight diseases like cancer.

Though the type of cataract might differ from person to person, the symptoms are usually the same. Some of the common symptoms of cataract are:

1. Blurred vision
2. Reduced night vision
3. Increased sensitivity to light and glare
4. Seeing halos around lights
5. Colors appearing faded
6. Double vision

A reading test is the first step towards diagnosing cataracts. This is followed by tests to measure the eye pressure. Your doctor will also need to dilate the pupil to check the condition of the optic nerves and retina.

Surgery is the safest way to remove a cataract. Surgery is usually recommended when cataract begin inhibiting your daily life such as preventing you from driving, interfering with reading etc.
 
In most cases, this can be done as an outpatient procedure. The earlier it is diagnosed, the easier it is to treat. Hence, if you notice any of the symptoms mentioned above, get your eyes checked at once. The surgery is a day-care surgery only, so a person can go home the same day.

Is Your Vision Clouded? It Could Be Cataracts

Cataract is clouding of clear natural lens present inside the eye, this is a major cause of decreased vision in elderly. Cataracts can occur in one or both eyes, usually developing very slowly. Things look blurry, hazy, less colourful and less sharp with cataract. 

Most cataracts are related to ageing, however many other factors can either increase the rate of formation or cause cataract formation. 

Causes of Cataract Formation-

Ageing: Most common cause. As the proteins present in the lens of the eye degenerates over the years ( just like any other organ) cataract is formed. If you are having Diabetes or hypertension, the rate of formation gets accelerated.

Radiation: Prolonged exposure to ultraviolet rays, especially UV-B rays, results in cataract in your eyes. Wearing sunglasses in the daytime helps in slowing down the process of cataract.

Genes: Many genetic disorders can result in congenital cataract ( cataracts present since birth) or early formation. Like in Lowe syndrome or Down's syndrome. 

Lifestyle Choices: Cigarette smoking, long hours of sun exposure regularly, antioxidant, poor diet etc. are responsible for the onset of cataract.

How To Detect Cataract?

Certain signs and symptoms suggest the existence of cataract in the eye. Depending on the type and level of cataract, problems in vision occurs. The main symptom is foggy cloudy vision as if seeing through a dirty glass window. 

Other Symptoms are- 

inability to see clearly in bright light (during the day) which becomes better in dim light ( evening and night) and vice versa. 
watery, tired eyes - mild pain in and around eyes. 
yellow tinge in vision 
Halos around light bulbs or bright light. 
If you are experiencing above symptoms and having problems in viewing things clearly, visit an ophthalmologist and get your eyes checked.

Foggy and Cloudy Vision - A Sign Of Cataract?

Glaucoma: An Overview
This disease can be developed or inherited; it usually refers to the accumulation of fluid inside a person's eyes leading to excessive pressure on his or her optic nerve.

How to Diagnose the Symptoms of Glaucoma-

A Fundamental Eye Examination: An experienced eye doctor will check the dilated pupils of your eyes so as to take a closer look at the optic nerve that further discerns the stage of glaucoma a patient is in. Doctors tend to keep track on the sequential progression of glaucoma and its specific mode of treatment through pictures of the optic nerve taken during an examination.

Tonometry may also be performed:Signs of Glaucoma may be spotted through the procedure called tonometry where the doctor will test a person's eye pressure and so on so forth. A visual field test might also be conducted to check if the patient can see things at the periphery of his line of vision. 

Symptoms that will help a doctor identify this condition in people:-

A loss of peripheral vision is experienced in the early stages of glaucoma.
A person may see halos when in the presence of bright lights.
Your eyes could turn red.
Hazy or blurry vision is a problem faced by young children affected with glaucoma.
Glaucoma could be accompanied by headaches and eye pain.
An affected person might repeatedly feel nauseous.
Ways to Treat Glaucoma:-

Microsurgery can effectively treat Glaucoma: Microsurgery can be performed in various ways. There is one way in which a channel is made to pump out the fluid creating extra pressure on the optic nerve. This method is referred to as trabeculectomy.

Eye Drops: Eye drops can relieve you from painful glaucoma. They are known to control the formation of excess fluid in a person's eye. In some cases, they can induce the accumulating fluid to flow out of the patient's eyes.

Laser Treatment: Laser surgeries can be undertaken to get rid of glaucoma. Laser can help in moving out fluid from the eyes of the affected person. It successfully hinders fluid blockage as well. There are different kinds of laser treatments available to cure glaucoma.

Diagnosis and Treatment for Glaucoma

A red eye is one of the first and most common symptoms of conjunctivitis. Conjunctivitis is the inflammation of the tissue that lies over the white part of the eye and lines the inner side of the eyelid. It is usually the result of a viral infection and can easily spread from one person to another. Conjunctivitis can also be a symptom of STDs like Gonorrhea or Chlamydia. In newborns, conjunctivitis can be vision threatening, while in grownups it is not considered a serious health risk. The symptoms of conjunctivitis differ according to the cause of the infection. 

Some common symptoms of conjunctivitis are:
1. Green or white discharge from the eye
2. Redness of the white part of the eye
3. Inflammation of the eyelid
4. Waking up to crusted yellow discharge
5. Itchiness and burning in the eyes
6. Increased sensitivity to light
7. Blurred vision

An eye examination and testing a sample of the fluid secreted by the eye can be used to diagnose conjunctivitis.  It can easily be treated at home and does not require hospitalization. Antibiotics are often given in the form of eye drops and ointments to treat conjunctivitis. These usually need to be applied 3 to 4 times a day for a period of 5 to 6 days. Wash your eyes before putting the eye drops. Once applied, close your eyes and roll the eyeball around to distribute the medicine and keep it from overflowing out of the eye. Wash your hands immediately after applying the eye drops.

Viral conjunctivitis is highly contagious. If you are suffering from it, you should take a few days off work and restrict your social interactions. Wash your hands frequently as you may unconsciously rub your eyes. This is especially important with regards to meals and finger foods. Also, avoid sharing towels, pillowcases, etc. to minimize the transmission of the disease from one person to another.  

Avoid using makeup while being treated for conjunctivitis. With conjunctivitis, the eye is more sensitive to irritants and thus, a speck of makeup can worsen the situation. Also avoid contacts. If you wear contacts regularly, dispose the current set and start using a fresh set after your doctor gives you a clean chit. 
Artificial tears or non prescription eye drops can also be used to relieve the itchiness and burning in the infected eye. If only one eye had been affected by conjunctivitis, do not use the same eye drop bottle for both eyes.

Managing the Acute Red Eye

Eye Strain is an umbrella term that denotes a number of symptoms that relate to the extended use of eyes as well as discomfort that may come from excessive smartphone and computer use. This condition may or may not lead to significant eye damage and is usually characterised by blurry vision, headaches and a feeling of dryness in the eye as you blink less which creates less tears. This may happen due to the extended use of the eye when you are following objects on a screen or staring at a screen for too long. So, is eye strain the cause of your headaches? 

Find out more in this article.

Causes: Eye Strain or Asthenopia is caused by concentrating on visually intense tasks like reading from texts that have a fine print, the use of computers and other screens for prolonged periods, and trying to focus on objects in the dark. This can lead to distress of the muscles in this area which can also cause eye strain leading to a variety of symptoms including double imagery and even headaches and mild migraine like conditions.

Eye Muscle Imbalance: When there is eye strain which leads to headaches, it can also give rise to eye muscle imbalance which makes it difficult to concentrate with both eyes at the same time. In such cases, one may need bifocal glasses so as to fix the issue and prevent such debilitating headaches to remain on a persistent basis.

Diagnosis: Digital eye fatigue and ocular eye strain leading to headaches can be diagnosed by a doctor with the help of regular eye examinations. In any case, one should have the eyes checked at least once a year. This is especially important if your job involves sitting in front of the computer screen for prolonged hours.

Symptoms: There are a variety of symptoms of these headaches that are caused by eye strain. Apart from blurry vision which does not allow the patient to see properly and clearly without glasses, it can also cause headaches with symptoms like nausea and sensitivity to light. Retinal or eye migraines do not necessarily have to come with headaches, but the pressure can be painful enough.

Treatment: To begin with, the best form of treatment for headaches born from eye strain includes prevention which can be done by getting plenty of rest and sleep even as we limit the hours spent in front of the screen. One can also lower the resolution of the screen and make it more ambient. Also, the screen should be placed at a considerable distance from the eyes. The doctor can also prescribe glasses and eye drops for better eye lubrication.

Headache - Can Eyestrain Be the Reason Behind it?

People are well aware of the harmful effects that UV rays have on the skin, but very few know that UV rays can damage their eyes as well. The tissue that human eye is made up of is one of the most sensitive tissues in the body and hence, the most vulnerable. The increasing level of UV radiation reaching the Earth s surface every minute has made it indispensable to take the required precautionary measures to protect the eyes.

What are UV rays?

Sunlight consists of 3 types of radiations - Infrared, Visible light and UltraViolet. Artificial sources like lasers, tanning beds and welding machines also emit UV radiation.

There are three types of UV radiations - UV-A, UV-B and UV-C. 

UV-C is absorbed by the ozone layer and does not possess any risk. It is UV-A and UV-B radiations that adversely affect the eyes and vision.

Impact of UV rays on  eyes

Too much exposure to UV rays can affect vision, harm the eyes, and deteriorate overall eye health. There are various eye problems that are aggravated by excessive exposure to UV radiation:

Macular Degeneration: It is caused by damage to the retina over time by UV rays. It leads to age-related blindness. Too much exposure to UV rays increases the risk of developing macular degeneration.
Cataract: It is the clouding of eye s natural lens - the part of the eye that focuses the light we see. Too much exposure to UV rays increases the risk of developing cataracts. 
Pterygium: Often known as  surfer s eye , pterygium is a pink, non-cancerous growth that is formed on the conjunctiva. UV rays are believed to be responsible for the development of this growth.
Skin Cancer of the Eyelids: Too much exposure to UV rays can cause skin cancer in and around the eyelids.
Photokeratitis: Popularly known as corneal sunburn or  snow blindness , photokeratitis is caused due to excessive short-term exposure to UV-B rays. Photokeratitis occurs when you spend long hours at the beach or skiing. It sometimes leads to temporary vision loss. 
How to protect the eyes from harmful UV rays?

Here are some tips to help ensure that eyes are protected against harmful UV rays:

Always use quality sunglasses that block out 99-100 percent of both UV-A and UV-B radiation when outdoors.
Stay away from tanning beds, and if you use them occasionally, always wear eye protection. 
Wrap around frames should be used if you spend a lot of time outdoors.
Be sure to see your doctor at least every two years.

UV Rays - Are They Damaging Your Eyes?

Don't wait any longer, manage your Refractive surgeon online with a Lybrate doctor today

Consult for Refractive surgeon - Online and Easy!

FilterClear All

COMMON SPECIALITIES

COMMON ISSUES