Cataract is one of the most common eye diseases in the elderly. Studies show that approximately ½ of the world's population over the age of 40 suffers from blurred vision due to the development of this disease. The fact is that over time, the lens of the eye loses its transparency and elasticity, and therefore clouding develops.
Causes of cataracts can be different. Experts conditionally divide them into two groups - external and internal. Internal factors include heredity, various chronic diseases (diabetes mellitus, for example), improper metabolism in eye tissues, age-related disorders, and so on. External causes of cataracts are injuries, radiation or radiation exposure.
With age-related cataracts, everything is clear - the body ages, and changes occur, sometimes not the most pleasant. The situation is much worse with childhood illness. Cataracts in children, the causes of which are being studied to this day, are also due to many factors. As a rule, there are two types of it - hereditary or pathological. Most often, the disease progresses in those children who suffer from one of these diseases - Lowe's syndrome, homocystinuria, galactosemia, Sjögren's disease, hyperaminoaciduria, and others. With heredity, everything is clear - if one of the relatives has a cataract, then the risk of the disease doubles.
Causes of cataracts can be different, but the development of the disease under one or another set of circumstances always goes the same way. It is worth mentioning the first signs: deterioration of vision in the dark and blurred vision, sensitivity to bright light, double objects, difficulty reading books with small print or sewing. There may be small stripes or spots in the field of view, difficulty in selecting glasses and indistinguishability of primary colors.
If you find yourself showing signs of cataracts, see an ophthalmologist immediately. You will be assigned a comprehensive examination, based on the results of which treatment will be carried out. No need to be afraid - all types of examinations are absolutely painless and will take a minimum of your personal time, but you can save your eyesight!
We examined the causes of cataracts, but is there a treatment for the disease? We want to warn you that there are no cataract drops! There are medications that can slow down its development for a while. The only treatment is surgery. Instead of a clouded eye lens, an artificial implant is rotated into the canal, which has all the properties of the original.
Cataract,the causes of which were described above, is the most common eye disease, and recently it has become more “young”. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully monitor the ongoing changes in the visual organ and observe preventive measures. Keep an eye on your blood sugar, protect your eyes from direct sunlight, avoid injury, and make it a habit to visit an optometrist at least once a year, who can see the very beginning of a negative process.
