What it is
Cataracts are the progressive opacification of the lens, a lens that is located inside our eye, just behind the iris, and is necessary for focusing.
In young subjects, the crystalline lens is transparent because the proteins that are part of its composition have a structure that a it to remain transparent. With advancing age, due to a number of factors such as oxidation phenomena, these proteins alter and lose their chemical and physical characteristics, leading to opacification of the crystalline lens, i.e. cataracts.
Generally, senile cataracts develop slowly, but sometimes the process can be very rapid, so much so that sufferers only become aware of it when faced with real visual difficulties that lead them to have frequent eyesight checks.
If it were not for surgery, cataracts would be the leading cause of blindness over the age of 60 without distinction between rich and poor countries. This is confirmed by the fact that over the age of 65 approximately 50% of the population develops cataracts and that from the age of 75 this percentage can exceed 90%.
To imagine what the result of these processes is, just try looking at a panorama through a fogged-up glass, and you will see the main visual symptoms experienced by the cataract patient. These are:
- transient blurring of vision that becomes permanent over time
- glare in backlit vision, people’s faces will be unrecognisable
- bright or coloured halos (similar to the colours of the rainbow) around light sources
- reduced contrast sensitivity
- difficulty distinguishing colours clearly
- problems with vision in the dark
- disturbances while driving at night
This can result in a burning sensation and eye fatigue due to the effort made by the eye to adapt to this situation.
The symptoms are all related to the fact that light and images reach the retina with difficulty due to opacification of the crystalline lens and arrive diffracted and distorted.
It is important to emphasise that the crystalline lens is not an inanimate object.
It is made up of highly specialised cells whose vitality is linked to metabolism and therefore lifestyle is also important.
The appearance of cataracts is not only related to ageing, although this is certainly the most frequent.
In addition to senile cataracts, we can report:
Congenital cataract, which is not very common, occurs in children in the first six months of life, i.e. in the critical period of visual development. It is therefore very serious because of the interference in the development of vision.
Cataracts due to eye diseases such as uveitis or glaucoma.
Cataracts linked to general diseases, first and foremost diabetes.
Cataracts resulting from the use of drugs such as high-dose cortisone drugs for long periods.
Not to forget ionising radiation, microwaves…
There is no drug therapy for cataracts, so the solution is exclusively surgical.
The operation consists of removing the opacified lens and replacing it with an artificial one.
Sometimes it happens that opacification occurs again; this phenomenon is known as secondary cataract.
This event does not require a new surgery, the operator can operate with a laser called YAG Laser, which eliminates the opacification in a very short time, allowing the patient to see well again.