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- What are cataracts?
- Symptoms of cataracts
- Causes of cataracts
- Prevention of cataracts
- Risk factors for cataracts
- Complications of cataracts
- When to see a doctor about cataracts
- Diagnosis of cataracts
- Conventional treatment of cataracts
- Alternative/complementary treatment of cataracts
- Living with cataracts
- Caring for someone with cataracts
Cataracts are cloudy, opaque areas on the lens of the eye which interfere with proper vision, which eventually can cause blindness as they cover the lens. The lens of the eye needs to be clear to enable vision. The lens focuses light (or an image) onto the retina, when nerve signals are sent to the brain to receive a sharp image.
The lens of the eye consists of three layers:
- Outer layer (capsule) - this consists of a thin, clear membrane
- Middle layer (cortex) - this is the soft, middle layer
- Inner layer (nucleus) - this is the hard centre of the lens
There are three types of cataracts depending on which part of the lens is affected:
- Subcapsular - affects the outer layer (capsule) and causes a small cloudy area just under the capsule of the lens preventing light from entering correctly and it causes problems with reading and vision at night
- Cortical - affects the middle layer (cortex) and causes cloudy streak formations on the outer edge of the cortex which then migrate to the centre of the lens and severely cloud vision so that both distant and near objects appear blurry or distorted
- Nuclear - affects the inner layer (nucleus) and causes a change in the way that light is focused, the lens eventually becoming more yellowed and cloudy affecting driving and inability to distinguish between certain colours (blue and purple)
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Cataract formation can start as early as the 40's, but it is people who are over 65 that have a higher risk of developing this condition, with more than half of all people in Australia estimated to have cataracts by age 80.
Facts about cataracts
- Cataracts are one of the leading causes of blindness in the world
- Most types of cataracts are due to ageing
- While symptoms of cataracts can start in the 40's and 50's, it is not until the 60's that they cause vision loss
- The length of time it takes for cataracts to cause vision loss can take anywhere from many months to many years
- Cataract surgery is quite safe and very effective in removing cataracts and improving eyesight
- Cataracts can develop in one eye or in both eyes
- A diet high in fresh vegetables and fruits (rich in antioxidants) may help to prevent cataracts from developing in the first place
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