Cataracts In English

Introduction – Opacity of the crystalline lens of the eye leading to partial or total blindness or deafness. It may be congenital or due to old age, trauma or diabetes.

• In this disease, the lens of the eye or its covering or both become blurred and a curtain-like effect appears over it.
• When the clear transparent lens inside the eye becomes hard and blurred, the vision of the eye is completely destroyed or diminished and the ability to see is lost. First, a white swelling appears inside and then in the pupil of the eye. That is called cataracts.

Cataracts is found in abundance in India. This disease usually occurs after the age of 40 years, but a person of any age can be affected by this disease. In this disease, the pearl or lens which is transparent, gradually becomes cloudy and turns opaque and the patient stops seeing.

What could be the causes of cataracts?

1. The real reason behind the formation of cataracts is still not known.
2. Increasing age of the patient, lack of essential elements (proteins and vitamins) in food, heat of the scorching sun and other physical diseases contribute to cataracts.
3. Other causes include eye injury, iris follicle inflammation, retinal detachment, etc.
4. Due to increased use of ultra violet therapy.
5. This may happen due to some poisonous medicines.

What can be the symptoms and signs of cataracts?

1. This disease develops gradually in one or both eyes over several months or years.
2. Vision gradually deteriorates. Along with it, the ability to see also fades. In the end, one cannot see at all.
3. Every object appears bigger when viewed.
4. When looking at the light of an electric bulb a difference is visible and a blue-green hue is visible around the light.
5. When we look at the stars and the moon, we see many instead of just one.
6. Sometimes the patient sees a black fixed spot in front of his eyes.

There are 2 types of cataract-

1. Soft cataracts – Its colour is completely blue and occurs from childhood to the age of 35 years.
2. Hard cataracts – Its colour is smoky or yellowish and occurs in old age.

There are 2 types of cataract conditions-

1. Immature stage of cataract- In this stage the patient sometimes sees two images.
2. Mature stage of cataract- when the vision of the eye becomes very dim and the patient can only perceive darkness and light. This is the right stage for surgical removal of cataracts.

Sometimes cataracts and Sambalvaya occur together-

Sometimes it has been observed that in old age cataracts and ocular edema occur simultaneously in the eye. In such a situation-

1. Such patients experience pain in the brain along with blurred vision.
2. Vision deteriorates more rapidly.
3. If not treated timely, vision is lost due to weakening of the optic nerve even before the cataract matures.

Remember- Glaucoma  The condition caused by increased pressure on the eyeballs is called glaucoma, black cataract or blue cataract. Normally, aqueous fluid is found in the eyes which keeps moving freely in the eyes. This aqueous fluid maintains the shape and boundaries of the eyes only when the pressure remains within the normal limits. If due to some reason the small tubes through which the fluid flows out get blocked, then the pressure increases. This increased pressure can destroy those delicate parts of the eye, which are responsible for the common causes of eye problems.

Caution- Glaucoma and cataract are different. The conditions of both are different. But both occur only after the age of 30 years. That is why mistakes happen.

Cataracts symptoms at a glance :-

1. The disease usually occurs in old age.
2. Gradually painless loss of vision.
3. Appearance of two in the development of the disease.
4. One object appears as many.
5. Usually one lens is affected.
6. Later, opacities may develop preoperatively in both eyes.
7. The color of the lens becomes brownish-white.

Treatment of cataracts-

1. There is no effective drug treatment for it.
2. When a cataract becomes ripe then operation is the only treatment.
3. Detachment of the retina.

Note- There is no other treatment for cataracts except surgery. So get rid of it by getting surgery done by a qualified doctor.

The following medicines may provide some partial relief in the beginning-

1. Cineraria Maritima (Homeopathic Medicine) Note- This medicine is beneficial in the beginning of the disease. It cures cataract and there is no need for operation. (Put 1-2 drops in the eyes 2-3 times a day.)
2. Atropine (By applying it in the diseased eye, the pupil dilates and the vision remains clear to some extent.  daily.)
3. Fibrolycin ‘Merck’ (Put 2-3 drops in the eye 3 times)
4. Catalin ‘Glaxo’ (1 tablet comes with 15 ml diluent. Dissolve the tablet in diluent and administer 1-2 drops every 4-5 hours.)

Note- It is beneficial in the initial stages of the disease.

Treatment of Cataracts Nowadays-

There is no effective treatment for cataracts except surgery. In its initial stage, wearing glasses is enough, but as the cataract grows, the ophthalmic number also keeps changing. A situation comes when the usefulness of glasses ends. In such a situation, cataract surgery is the only option.

One should not wait for the cataract to mature because if it matures too much, it becomes glaucoma or black cataract, due to which the vision of the eye is lost. Sometimes the entire vision is lost, due to which a person becomes blind. The biggest thing is that in this condition it is not possible to bring back the lost vision. Therefore, it is advisable to get the operation done before the cataract matures and becomes glaucoma.

Cataract operation-

There are two types of cataract surgery-

1. 
   

   Old method –

   
   

   In this, the opaque lens (called a cataract) is removed and the eye is left without a lens. This also provides a way for light to enter the eye.

   
   

The problems caused by this are as follows-

• It takes 2-4 stitches.
• One has to wear glasses with thick lenses. It is quite difficult to manage them.
• After the operation everything looks thick, crooked and enlarged.
• An object is not visible where it is; for example, if you are pouring tea into a cup, the tea may spill outside the cup instead.
• Only objects within the range of the lens will be visible to you clearly; objects outside the range will appear blurry.

Whether the cataract is raw or permanent, this operation should be done when it starts interfering with your daily activities. The operation can be done in any season. Heat and cold have no effect.

Analytic method-

Cataract surgery involves replacing a damaged natural lens with a permanent artificial lens, known as an intraocular lens (IOL). Traditionally, this procedure required a larger incision to remove the natural lens and insert the IOL, secured with stitches. This lens is pre-measured using ultrasound to ensure it provides clear vision, though glasses might still be needed for fine details

A modern technique called phacoemulsification has revolutionized cataract surgery. This method uses a minimal 3 mm incision through which a phaco machine’s needle enters the eye, emulsifies the cataract, and removes it. A foldable lens is then inserted through the same small incision. Since this incision is tiny and made precisely, no stitches are needed, making it a stitchless operation. Phacoemulsification offers significant benefits: patients often experience clear vision the next day, encounter fewer complications, and can resume normal activities almost immediately. The final prescription for glasses is provided just two weeks after surgery, compared to two months with the traditional method. This advanced, stitchless technique is now the preferred choice for cataract surgery due to its rapid recovery and minimal postoperative issues.

Some facts, some suggestions-

1. A cataract patient should go to a qualified eye specialist and get his eyes examined right from the beginning.
2. If the cataract is not ripe then the patient should keep consulting an eye specialist at an interval of 2-3 months.
3. Its operation is very easy. In this operation, the opaque pearl is taken out. Due to this the light starts reaching the retina again.
4. Cataract surgery can be done in any season or weather but in winters, the patient can lie down comfortably. That is why in this season, a large number of patients get admitted to various eye hospitals for surgery.

Note- Put Catalin eye drops 4 times a day for 2 months. The case should be referred to an eye hospital.