Children can get cataracts, too. They can be born with cataracts congenital cataracts , or develop them later on. They can also happen because of serious complications during pregnancy or because of illnesses during childhood, like uveitis or tumors in the eye.
Children can also get cataracts for the same reasons as adults — eye injuries, radiation, or steroid medications. When pediatric cataracts are large enough to cause vision problems, they need immediate treatment. After cataract surgery, some people may develop a condition called secondary cataract that makes their vision cloudy again. This condition is also called after-cataract or posterior capsule opacification. During cataract surgery, your doctor removes the lens from your eye and replaces it with a clear artificial lens.
Make an appointment for an eye exam if you notice any changes in your vision. If you develop sudden vision changes, such as double vision or flashes of light, sudden eye pain, or sudden headache, see your doctor right away.
Most cataracts develop when aging or injury changes the tissue that makes up the eye's lens. Proteins and fibers in the lens begin to break down, causing vision to become hazy or cloudy. 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, too, can cause cataracts to develop. A cataract is a cloudy lens. The lens is positioned behind the colored part of your eye iris.
The lens focuses light that passes into your eye, producing clear, sharp images on the retina — the light-sensitive membrane 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. Age-related and other medical conditions cause proteins and fibers within the lenses to break down and clump together, clouding the lenses. As the cataract continues to develop, the clouding becomes denser. 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 always at the same rate. The cataract in one eye may be more advanced than the other, causing a difference in vision between eyes.
Cataracts affecting the center of the lens nuclear cataracts. Alyssa Invergo, O. Shawn Sussmane, O. Shawn Molloy, O. For Appointment:. Different Types of Cataracts Cataracts are a clouding of the lens in the eye. Symptoms of cataracts will vary based on the type of cataract you develop.
Overall, if you have or are developing a cataract you will notice a change in vision. Here are some other common symptoms : Blurred vision Double vision Seeing halos Changes in night vision and depth perception Sensitivity to sunline causing your vision to decrease Difficulty distinguishing colors Difficulty reading There are three primary types of cataracts: nuclear sclerotic, cortical, and posterior subcapsular they also have unique symptoms which are discussed below.
Nuclear Sclerotic Cataracts This is the most common form of cataract. Cortical Cataracts If you have diabetes, you are at higher risk of developing this type of cataracts. Posterior Subcapsular Cataracts If you have diabetes or extreme nearsightedness you are at increased risk of this type of cataracts. This cataract develops quickly, typically over months not years. If you think you have cataracts, see an eye doctor for an exam to find out for sure. How Cataracts Develop: Understanding How the Eye Functions It is generally accepted that cataracts are a normal part of the aging process.
Behaviors that Can Be Changed to Reduce Your Risk of Cataract Ultraviolet radiation from the sun Diabetes Hypertension Obesity Smoking Significant alcohol consumption Risks Associated with Medication Use Prolonged use of corticosteroid medications Statin medicines used to reduce cholesterol Previous eye injury or inflammation Previous eye surgery Hormone replacement therapy Non-Modifiable Risks Family history Previous eye injury or inflammation Previous eye surgery High myopia nearsightedness The general theory is that a protein build up as a result of oxidative changes in the lens cause the development of cataracts.
How Your Eyes Work A camera and your eye both work the same way. As we age, the proteins aggregate and shift locations causing cloudy vision and cataracts. Cataract Prevention There are several ways to reduce your risk of developing or delay the time until you develop cataracts. Consume a Diet High in Antioxidants It appears that there is evidence to suggest that a diet high in antioxidants may help to prevent the development of cataracts. Consumption of Vitamin E also appears to be protective in the development of cataracts.
Wear Sunglasses Exposure to ultraviolet light can increase your risk of developing cataracts. Lifestyle Modifications Other ways to lower your risk of developing cataracts are associated with modifiable lifestyle behaviors.
If you smoke, you should stop. You should also only drink alcohol in moderation. These small changes can help to improve your overall health and the health of your eyes. Cataract Treatment If you begin to experience the symptoms of cataract your first course of action is an appointment with your eye doctor.
Cataract Surgery Surgery for cataracts involves removing your cloudy lens and replacing it with a clear, plastic intraocular lens IOL. The result of the surgery is a lens clear of cloudiness and an improvement in your vision. Eyewear after cataract surgery After cataract surgery, you will need reading classes. Main Office Drs. Weisgarber Road Knoxville, TN info ccteyes. Testimonials Celia Ponsler thought she would have to choose between her horses and having her vision corrected.
About Us Drs. Turner is the author of An Introduction to Cataracts and Cataract Surgery on the VisionAware website, where you can learn more about cataracts, including:. Changes in the water content of the lens fibers create clefts, or fissures, that look like the spokes of a wheel pointing from the outside edge of the lens in toward the center.
These fissures can cause the light that enters the eye to scatter, creating problems with blurred vision, glare , contrast, and depth perception. See Vision Changes Related to Cataracts for more information.
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