WHAT IS A CATARACT?

A cataract is a clouding of the lens within the eye. Most commonly, cataracts occur in older people and develop gradually, causing
vision to become blurred.

Type of Cataract

• A nuclear cataract forms deep in the central part of the lens. Nuclear cataracts usually are associated with ageing.
• Asubcapsular cataract occurs at the back of the lens. People with diabetes or those taking steroid medications by mouth have a greater risk of developing a subcapsular cataract.
• Acortical cataract begins with white, wedge-like cloudy areas that start in the outer part (periphery) of the lens and work their way to the centre in a spoke-like fashion.

CAUSES OF CATARACT

Most forms of cataract develop in adult life. The normal process of ageing causes the lens to harden and become cloudy. This is called age-related cataract and it is the most common type. It can occur at any time after the age of 40. Although most cataracts are age related, there are other types, including congenital (present at birth), drug induced (steroids), and traumatic (injury to the eye).
Cataract is also more common in people who have certain diseases such as diabetes.

What are the symptoms of a cataract?

The most common symptoms of a cataract are:

• Cloudy or blurry vision.
• Colors seem faded.
• Glare. Headlights, lamps, or sunlight may appear too bright. A halo may appear around lights.
• Poor night vision.
• Double vision or multiple images in one eyeFrequent prescription changes in your eyeglasses or contact lenses.

These symptoms also can be a sign of other eye problems. If you have any of these symptoms, check with your eye care professional.

TREATMENTS FOR CATARACT

Surgery is the only available treatment for cataract and is very effective, straight-forward and quick for the vast majority of patients. We advise patients to have surgery when their cataract progresses to the point that it is interfering with daily activities (eg glare when driving at night) or lifestyle.
At Vista Eye Clinic we have a comprehensive fast-track cataract service. We have two highly experienced visiting surgeons Mr Eugene Ng and Ms Jasna Astalos. Pre-operative assessments take place in our Naas clinic while surgery is performedlocally in Clane Hospital.