Cataract
 

Eyes works as a camera. Light rays are focused on the retina with the help of the crystalline lens of the eye. Over a period of time the lens becomes hazy and starts loosing its transparency. This opacified or hazy crystalline lens is called Cataract.

 

Causes
- Mostly due to aging
- Excessive use  of certain medication over a long duration like steroids  
- Metabolic disorders like diabetes
- Trauma, Injury etc

Symptoms
Hazy vision –gradual dimness of vision
Difficulty in night driving
Dimness of vision in bright light



  Treatment
 Operation is the only way to restore back the vision
At the moment there is no medication which can reverse the changes of cataract
     
  Details of operation
 Newer techniques and advanced technology to remove cataract is very safe ,effective and well established.
Cataract, that means opacified lens is removed from the bag by a technique called phacoemulsification.
 

In this technique a small incision of 2.5 mm is made on the eyeball. Probe of the same size is introduced into the eye and the whole lens is emulsified by ultrasonic energy and this material removed by the same probe. After the cataract is removed , a lens called intraocular lens is introduced through the same site. This lens is put in to the same bag where cataract was lying.
The site and incision is so small that there is no need of stitches and wound heals quickly. Patient can resume on his/ her duty in a day or two.
  There are new options in intraocular lens implant like:

1 Regular intraocular lens implant
2 Aspheric IOL by which contrast sensitivity is improved means patient has better vision in dim light.
3 Multifocal IOL where various powers are incorporated  on the IOL surfaces so that it helps to focus at almost all distance , Thus reduces the need of glasses. 
4 Toric IOL for those who have high cylindrical power in spects.