By Mrs. Vaiopoulou Areti, Scientific Associate of ANASSA Clinic
Cataract is one of the most common eye diseases and refers to the clouding, over the years, of the clear crystalline lens of the eye. 50% of people over the age of 60 and 70% in their 80s suffer from cataracts.
It is not a membrane that grows on the eye, as many people mistakenly believe. It is actually a clouding inside the eye, caused by the breakdown of the proteins that make up the crystalline lens.
RISK FACTORS
- Age
- Diabetes mellitus
- Taking cortisone for a long time (more than 6 months)
- Injuries of the eye
- High myopia (more than 10 degrees)
- Smoking, alcohol abuse and excessive exposure to the sun seem to act cumulatively in the occurrence of cataracts
SYMPTOMS
- Blurred and/or reduced vision
- Sensitivity to light or deterioration of vision (sufferers use sunglasses to watch TV)
- Faded colors
- Double images from the cataract eye
- High myopia (more than 10 degrees)
- Reflections around lights (difficulty driving at night)
SURGICAL REMOVAL OF CATARACT
Surgical removal is the only way to treat cataracts. In the operation, the cataractous cloudy lens is removed by the phacotripsy method and then replaced by a permanent artificial intraocular lens, which is maintained for life.
The surgery is performed under local anesthesia with special drops, making the procedure completely painless.
The duration of the operation is usually 15-20 minutes. The patient stays at the clinic for a short time, in order to receive the post-operative instructions required for his further monitoring and medication.
Vision improvement begins several hours after the operation and is restored in the following days. Eye drops are used for a certain period of time.