Cataracts affect more than 24 million Americans over the age of 40. But the solution’s considered safe and relatively simple.
In today’s Vital Signs, KERA’s Sam Baker talked with Dr. Agustin Gonzalez. He’s the optometry lead for Parkland Health in the integrated eye department.
Dr. Gonzalez: So, cataracts are part of the normal aging process of the eye. It is a clouding of the lens that focuses the light inside the eye, so once this lens clouds, what happens is that the light is not focusing very well in the back part of eye, which is called the retina.
Baker: Does it happen only to older or elderly people, or can it be younger people?
Dr. Gonzalez: Younger people can have cataracts, but it’s less common.
Baker: How young?
Dr. Gonzalez: Very rare cases we see children who are actually born with a congenital cataract. In extreme cases, they need surgery. In other cases, they can develop a lazy eye in the eye that has the cataracts. But this is more unusual.
The most common cataracts are related to the aging process of the eye and we typically start seeing this once people turn into their mid to late 40s and other people as late as in the mid-60s.
Baker: What causes this process in the first place? Are there specific risk factors for cataracts?
Dr. Gonzalez: The more common risk factors are UV exposure, so sunlight. The part of the job of the lens inside the eye is not only focusing the light in the back of the eye, but also filtering harmful ultraviolet radiation that affects the retina.
In that case, ultraviolet radiation does tend to develop cataracts, so we see these more often in people who are unprotected from the rays of the sun. Or are working in an ultraviolet environment with high exposure to ultraviolet radiation.
Baker: But it doesn't happen to everyone as they age though, correct?
Dr. Gonzalez: Cataracts do show up in everybody. Not everybody needs to have an intervention for cataract surgery, but if you look at any eye after age 60, they do have some form of cataracts development, whether it requires intervention or not, it's a different type of conversation.
Typically, when there's difficulty seeing blurred vision, glare, especially a glare driving at night, fading of the colors. It’s something that we also see. That's when intervention for cataract surgery is indicated.
Baker: Is there some type of alternative treatment that would be used first?
Dr. Gonzalez: Very early cataracts, just using a good pair of glasses, might help improve the vision. But as the cataract progresses and it starts interfering with any type of activity of daily living, that's when cataract surgery is indicated.
Baker: How risky is that surgery?
Dr. Gonzalez: It's a very safe procedure. So, the procedure partakes in creating two small openings in the front of the eye. With one opening, we introduce a small tip that breaks away the cataract inside the eye, breaks away a lens. And then the lens gets replaced with an artificial lens. And that lens acts like a prescription pair of glasses where your vision's restored for seeing far away perfectly well.
Baker: Can you prevent cataracts?
Dr. Gonzalez: Ultraviolet protection, a good pair of sunglasses, a healthy diet, healthy lifestyle. That certainly will help avoid the formation of cataract.
Baker: As in delay the occurrence of cataracts?
Dr. Gonzalez: Yes, they would delay the occurrence of cataracts because once again, it's part of the normal aging process of the eye. So having some precautions, that would help prevent the formation of cataracts.
RESOURCES:
Cataracts: Causes, Risks & Treatments
Mayo Clinic
Medline Plus
American Academy of Opthalmology
Cataract Surgery Recovery: Exercising, Driving and Other Activities
