Cataract is an eye disease due to opacity of the lens.
The most common is age related (degenerative), affecting most of the older elders. Other causes include inborn or congenital, injuries to the lens, and effects of drugs. Systemic illnesses like diabetes mellitus may lead to earlier onset of cataract.
Symptoms vary among patients and depend on the degree and site of opacity of the lens. The most common are:
Up to now, there is no medication with proven efficacy for the prevention or slowing of progress of opacification. Treatment of cataract is by extraction of the opaque lens by operation.
After lens extraction, the eye cannot focus objects. Therefore, special corrective lens like spectacles or contact lens is required. However, spectacles are made of thick convex lens. Skills and precautions are needed to wear contact lens properly. Both are not suitable for the elderly. Nowadays, most people choose implantation of intra-ocular lens. It is a safe operation. Most patients recover their eyesight fully. But there may be slightly higher risk of complications like infection and glaucoma. Patients who are severely short-sighted or have iritis are not suitable for intra-ocular lens implantation.
Immediately after the operation, allow adequate rest of the eyes and the head. During the recovery period,