​​What is a Cataract?

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• Initially, the cloudiness in your vision caused by a the lens inside the eye gets older and may affect only a small part of the eye's lens.
   

• Since this may be subtle, you may be unaware of any vision blur.  
   

• As the cataract grows larger, it clouds more of your lens and distorts the light passing through the lens. This may lead to more noticeable symptoms.

 

Signs and Symptoms of Cataracts:

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• Clouded, blurred or dim vision

• Increasing difficulty with vision at night

• Sensitivity to light and glare

• Need for brighter light for reading and other activities

• Seeing "halos" around lights

• Frequent changes in eyeglass or contact lens prescription

• Fading or yellowing of colors

• Double vision in a single eye

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Causes of Cataracts:

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• Cataracts can develop when aging changes the tissue that makes up the lens in the eyes.
   

• Some inherited genetic disorders that cause other health problems can increase your risk of cataracts.
   

• Cataracts can also be caused by other eye conditions, past eye surgery or medical conditions such as diabetes. Long-term use of steroid medications, including nasal sprays in allergy medications, can cause cataracts to develop.
   

Cataracts Growth:

• The lens, where cataracts form, is behind the colored part of your eye (iris).
   

• The lens focuses light that passes into your eye, producing clear, sharp images on the retina — in the eye that functions like the film in a camera.
   

• As you age, the lenses in your eyes become less flexible, less transparent and thicker.
   

• As the cataract continues to develop, the clouding becomes denser and involves a bigger part of the lens.

 

• A cataract scatters and blocks the light as it passes through the lens, preventing a sharply defined image from reaching your retina. As a result, your vision becomes blurred.
   

• Cataracts generally develop in both eyes, but not evenly. The cataract in one eye may be more advanced than the other, causing a difference in vision between eyes.
   

Types of Cataracts:
 

• Cataract types include:

  • Nuclear Cataracts

    • Cataracts affecting the center of the lens. 

    • A nuclear cataract may at first cause more nearsightedness
      or even a temporary improvement in your reading vision.

    • With time, the lens gradually turns more densely yellow
      and further clouds your vision.

    • As the cataract slowly progresses,
      the lens may even turn brown.

    • Advanced yellowing or browning of the lens can lead
      to difficulty distinguishing between shades of color.
      ​

  • Cortical Cataracts

    • Cataracts that affect the edges of the lens. 

    • A cortical cataract begins as whitish, wedge-shaped opacities or streaks on the outer edge of the lens cortex.

    • As it slowly progresses, the streaks extend to the center and interfere with light passing through the center of the lens.
      ​

  • Posterior Subcapsular Cataracts

    • Cataracts that affect the back of the lens. 

    • A posterior subcapsular cataract starts as a small,
      opaque area that usually forms near the back of the lens,
      right in the path of light.
       

    • A posterior subcapsular cataract often interferes
      with reading vision, reduces your vision in bright light,
      and causes glare or halos around lights at night.

    • These types of cataracts tend to progress faster than other types do.
      ​

  • Congenital Cataracts

    • Cataracts that a person appears at birth. 

    • Some people are born with cataracts or develop them during childhood.

    • These cataracts may be genetic, or associated with an intrauterine infection or trauma.

    • These cataracts also may be due to certain conditions, such as:

      • Myotonic dystrophy, galactosemia, neurofibromatosis type 2 or rubella.

      • Congenital cataracts don't always affect vision, but if they do they're usually removed soon after detection.

 

Risk factors for Cataracts:
 

• Factors that increase your risk of cataracts:
   

  • Increasing age

  • Diabetes

  • Excessive exposure to sunlight

  • Smoking

  • Obesity

  • High blood pressure

  • Previous eye injury or inflammation

  • Previous eye surgery

  • Prolonged use of corticosteroid medications

  • Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol
     

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Preventing Cataracts:
 

• Get regular eye examinations. 

  • Eye examinations can help detect cataracts and other eye problems at their earliest stages. Ask Dr. Nanda how often you should have an eye examination.
     

• Quit smoking. 

  • Ask Dr. Nanda for suggestions about how to stop smoking.

  • Medications, counseling and other strategies are available to help you.
     

• Manage other health problems. 

  • Follow your treatment plan if you have diabetes or other medical conditions that can increase your risk of cataracts.
     

  • Choose a healthy diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables. 

    • Adding a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables to your diet ensures that you're getting many vitamins and nutrients.

    • Fruits and vegetables have many antioxidants, which help maintain the health of your eyes.

    • A healthy diet rich in vitamins and minerals was associated with a reduced risk of developing cataracts.

    • Fruits and vegetables have many proven health benefits and are a safe way to increase the amount of minerals and vitamins in your diet.
       

• Wear sunglasses. 

  • Ultraviolet light from the sun may contribute to
    the development of cataracts.
     

  • Wear sunglasses that block ultraviolet B (UVB)
    rays when you're outdoors.
    
    
    
     

• Reduce alcohol use. 

  • Excessive alcohol intake can increase the risk of cataracts.

 

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Make an appointment for an eye exam with Dr. Nanda at the Nanda Dry Eye and Vision Institute at 832-966-0660 if you notice any changes in your vision.