Clouding of the lens of the eye due to the accumulation of protein in it in medicine is called a cataract. What it is, we will discuss in more detail in today's article, considering the causes of the disease and its treatment methods.
How the eye works
Our organ of vision works like cameras: rays of light entering the eye pass through its cornea and intraocular fluid located in front of the eye and end up in the pupil, which acts as a lens. In it, the rays are refracted, passing through the lens and focusing on the retina, lining the back of the organ of vision. From there, the image in the form of an impulse passes through the cells of the retina to the optic nerve and, finally, to the back of the brain, which is designed to process the signal, forming it as a “picture”.
In order for what you see to be clear, you need an absolutely transparent lens of the eye. Any disturbances in the form of its turbidity lead to blurring of the image, and in severe cases, the patient can only distinguish light and color.
According to the method of occurrence, cataracts are divided into several types.
Age-related cataract: what is it
Among ophthalmic diseases, age-related cataract is recognized as the most common. Its main clinical manifestation is clouding of the lens (partial or complete).
This pathology affects half of people over the age of 75 and causes visual impairment and even loss. It all depends on the location of the turbidity. With peripheral visual acuity, visual acuity does not suffer, but the closer the pathology moves to the center of the lens, the more serious the changes in a person's vision.
Congenital cataract: what is it
The laying of the lens occurs in the first weeks of fetal development. And if this process is disrupted for any reason, a congenital cataract may develop.
Such problems, as a rule, arise in connection with a genetic predisposition, alcohol consumption by the mother, exposure to certain drugs, viral infections (rubella, influenza, chickenpox, etc.), the presence of diabetes in a pregnant woman and other negative factors.
Diabetic cataract: what is it
With complicated diabetes, diabetic cataracts can develop. It is also characterized by clouding of the lens, either uniform or "flaky" due to changes in the condition of the lens caused by compounds accumulating in it as a result of the rise in sugar levels. The patient, as a rule, feels at the same time "cloudy glass" before his eyes, which prevents him from performing daily activities.
Treatmentcataracts
Reviews of experts indicate that cataract is a serious disease, but modern medicine has developed a method of dealing with it. This is a surgical intervention: implantation of an artificial lens, which is performed under local anesthesia and is well tolerated by patients of any age. But this must be done only on the condition that vision is not completely lost.
Cataract Prevention
There is no proven way to prevent this disease. You can only adhere to some general principles: protect your eyesight by protecting your eyes from the sun with dark glasses or a wide-brimmed hat, do not smoke, limit alcohol consumption and monitor blood sugar levels.
Be he althy!
