Cataract is the clouding of the natural lens in the eye (crystalline lens) which leads to poor vision.
Cataract is the leading cause of blindness in middle-income and low-income countries. In a developing world, it could be the cause of 50% of blindness. An estimated 95 million people worldwide are affected by cataract.
According to the Nigerian National blindness Survey, cataract is responsible for 43% of blindness.
Causes of Cataract
Majorly, cataract is caused by aging (senile).
Cataract could however be congenital; this means that one can be born with cataract. The prevalence of congenital cataract in developed countries is 1 to 3 per 10,000.
Other causes of cataract include; Trauma (injury to the eye), Inflammation in the eye (anterior uveitis), Diabetes etc.
Symptoms
Cloudy vision (dewy vision).
Cataract causes painless, progressive deterioration in vision which can progress to complete loss f vision.
Persons with cataract could also present with glare. Vision could be fairly good when it is not sunny but poor under sunlight.
A significant part of the working population may have these complaints which would reduce overall productivity.
Diagnosis is done by an eye care professional with the aid of simple examinations and tests.
Treatment
Poor vision from cataract can be completely reversible.
Treatment for cataract is essentially surgical. With advancements in technology, rapid visual recovery, good visual outcomes and minimal complications are seen in most patients after a simple surgical procedure which can be done in 15 minutes.
There are different techniques for cataract surgery;
- Phacoemulsification (gold standard)
- Small incision cataract surgery (SICS)
- Femtosecond laser assisted cataract surgery
Cataract surgery entails the removal of the natural cloudy lens and replacing it with an intraocular clear lens.
There are different types of intraocular lens which can be implanted based on the patient’s visual needs.
Cataract surgery is a safe and cost-effective surgery with good visual outcome. It is the most performed eye surgery worldwide.
