home Audience 4 Do I need surgery for the initial stage of cataract. The initial stage of cataract treatment. Treatment of initial cataract

Do I need surgery for the initial stage of cataract. The initial stage of cataract treatment. Treatment of initial cataract

One of the most common ophthalmic diseases in the elderly is clouding of the eye lens, which is located between the iris of the eyeball and the vitreous body. Most often, the initial stage of this pathological condition is diagnosed, the treatment of which can be carried out conservatively or surgically. Timely initiated therapy avoids other serious complications.

This pathology is considered an age-related disease that occurs as a result of the natural aging processes of the body. The disease is diagnosed mainly in people over 60 years of age. The main factor provoking the development of the pathological process is a violation of material metabolism, protein deficiency.

The initial stage of cataract can appear at a younger age. The following causes of this disease can be distinguished:

mechanical damage to the eyeball;
violation of the functioning of the "thyroid gland";
long-term use of glucocorticosteroids;
eye diseases;
infectious pathologies;
intoxication of the body;
exposure to radiation, ultraviolet radiation on the eyes;
some dermatological diseases (neurodermatitis, eczema);
alcohol abuse, active smoking.

A complicated form can develop against the background of such pathological conditions:

anemia;
Down syndrome;
rheumatoid arthritis;
various systemic, autoimmune pathologies.

Ocular cataracts can be congenital in nature, resulting from a genetic predisposition, incompatibility of the Rh factors of the mother and child, infectious diseases, or various abnormalities in the development of the embryo.

Most of all, women living in adverse environmental conditions or working in production with harmful working conditions are most susceptible to the development of a pathological condition.

Early signs of cataract

With an initial cataract, the lens is flooded, as a result of which it increases, the structure of the lens fibers changes, opacities appear, which at first are located only at the equator of the lens, but eventually begin to spread along the entire axis. This leads to a gradual deterioration of vision. The peculiarity of the development of the initial stage of cataract is that it is often asymptomatic, which makes it difficult to diagnose the problem at this stage.

Symptoms of cataracts in adults at an early stage:

flashing flies, spots and light flashes before the eyes;
increased sensitivity to light;
split image;
decreased visual acuity;
fuzzy contours of objects;
blurred vision at night;
fading of flowers;
difficulty reading or working at a computer in low light.

Clouding of the lens of the eyeball occurs gradually. At the initial stage of cataract, the accumulation of intraocular fluid is observed only in the peripheral part, which does not affect the quality of vision. Sometimes people who already have vision problems at this stage in the development of the disease begin to see better. But these are only temporary improvements, which, in the absence of timely treatment, quickly turn into nearsightedness or farsightedness.

It is impossible to diagnose the pathology on your own, therefore it is necessary to consult a doctor if the slightest vision problems appear in order to find out how to treat the disease.

Kinds

Depending on the nature of origin, the initial cataract is of 2 types:

congenital. Pathology is formed even in the prenatal period or in the first year of a child's life. Due to its genetic nature, the disease is difficult to treat.
Acquired. It appears throughout life.

Taking into account the cause of the development of the disease, acquired cataracts can be of several varieties:

age;
traumatic;
radiation;
toxic;

Most often found initial. Depending on the site of clouding of the lens, the following types of disease are distinguished:

The speed of its progression, the features of the course and treatment depend on the type of pathology.

Treatment of early stage cataract

What to do with the initial stage of cataract? If vision deteriorates, you should immediately contact an ophthalmologist who will conduct a detailed examination, make a diagnosis and select the most appropriate treatment. It is impossible to cure the initial cataract with a conservative method even at the initial stage of the development of the disease. But drug treatment can still be prescribed for preventive or preparatory purposes. To inhibit the progression of the pathological process are prescribed. What drops are better for cataracts of the initial stage? The following are the most commonly recommended:

Quinax;
Taufon;
Catarax;
Bestoxol.

Such eye drops at the initial stage of cataract contain a large amount of vitamins, antioxidants, amino acids and other useful elements that help slow down the clouding of the lens and improve metabolism. Additionally, vitamin-mineral complexes, preparations for cleansing the body of toxin and normalizing metabolic processes (Fakovit) can be prescribed. Conservative treatment of a complicated form also involves the use of physiotherapy that activates metabolic processes, wearing Sidorenko glasses and following a diet in which you need to eat more foods rich in vitamin C.

Surgical treatment

What to do if you have vision problems? Drug therapy slows down the progression of the pathology, but does not restore vision, so in most cases it is ineffective. The only sure way to treat the initial stage of a cataract of the eye is to perform an operation. Ultrasonic phacoemulsification is usually performed - a low-traumatic operation performed under local anesthesia. The doctor makes a tiny incision (2-2.5 mm), through which he inserts a special probe that softens the clouded areas of the lens with ultrasonic waves. The affected area is removed and replaced with a special intraocular lens that restores normal vision to the patient.

Phacoemulsification of cataracts

Is surgery necessary for early age-related cataracts?

Primary age-related cataract is the most common form of the disease, being diagnosed in almost every person aged 65 years and older. If there are no contraindications to the operation, then at the request of the patient, the doctor performs surgical intervention. In the absence of the possibility of surgical treatment, the initial age-related cataract is treated with conservative therapy, which slows down the course of the pathological process.

Folk remedies

Is there a cure for cataract? To slow the progression of the disease, sometimes doctors recommend the use of alternative medicine, which, in combination with conservative therapy, can bring good results. With the initial cataract, you can use the following folk remedies:

Dilute a dessert spoon of honey in a glass of boiled warm water, mix well. The resulting product is instilled into the eye 2 drops 4 times a day. It is necessary to carry out this procedure for 14 days, then take a break of 10 days and repeat the course again.
Mix freshly squeezed onion juice in equal proportions with honey and instill the resulting mixture into the eye 2 drops 2 times a day.
A dessert spoon of honey is added to a glass of water, after which the mixture is boiled for 5 minutes. In this water, you need to moisten the gauze and make a compress on the eyes for 5 minutes.
Dry potato sprouts (2 tablespoons) should be poured with 200 ml of vodka and left to infuse for 14 days. After that, the mixture should be filtered and drunk 1 teaspoon three times a day before meals for 2-3 months.

A cataract is a clouding of the lens, the optical lens that is located inside the eye. The name of the disease comes from the Greek word katarrháktes, which means "waterfall". This is due to the ideas of the ancient healers that the disease develops due to the flow of a cloudy liquid between the iris and the lens.

The eye lens is a natural lens that is able to transmit and refract light rays. It is located in the eyeball between the vitreous body and the iris. In a young person, the lens is transparent and elastic - it can change its shape, instantly focusing on the desired object, which allows the eye to see equally well both far and near.

However, as we age, the blood supply to the eye is disrupted. The lens, deprived of good nutrition, becomes cloudy, loses its transparency. As a result, less light enters the eye. This is the main reason for this disease.

Vision, gradually weakening, becomes blurry, fuzzy. If cataract treatment is not started, deterioration will progress. Often, the neglected form leads to complete blindness. Today we will look at cataracts, the causes, symptoms, treatment and prevention of this disease.

Causes of cataract

Why does a cataract develop, and what is it? The exact cause of cataracts has not been established today, there are several theories explaining the origin of the disease.

The theory of free-radical damage to the tissues of the lens is highlighted, which is why opaque molecules are formed that make the tissue cloudy. Over the course of life, free radicals accumulate in the body and affect, among other things, the organ of vision.

Factors contributing to the development of cataracts, consider:

massive ultraviolet radiation with damage to the eyes;
deficiency of antioxidants in the diet;
age-related malnutrition of the lens;
frequent inflammatory eye diseases - retinal problems;
exhaustion, poor nutrition, ;
toxic effects on the body;
endocrine diseases (, tetany);
eye injuries and contusions;
severe myopia, uveitis;
hereditary burden in the family.

Separately, congenital cataracts are isolated as a result of exposure to the fetus of toxic, infectious or metabolic disorders.

stages

Cataract, the symptoms of which manifest themselves in varying degrees depending on the progression of the disease, has four stages of its own development, namely:

Initial - clouding of the lens appears along the periphery - outside the optical zone.
Immature - the promotion of opacities in the central optical zone. In an immature cataract, clouding of the lens leads to a marked decrease in visual acuity.
Mature - the entire area of the lens is occupied by opacities. Decreased visual acuity to the level of light perception.
Overripe - further progression of cataract symptoms is accompanied by the disintegration of the lens fibers, the lens substance liquefies, the lens acquires a uniform milky white tint.

In order not to start the disease, you need to know how to treat cataracts in the initial stages.

Symptoms of a cataract

With cataracts, symptoms vary depending on the location, form, and stage of clouding of the lens. All patients with cataracts have a gradual progressive loss of vision. Most of them complain about the presence of a veil or fog before the eyes, the presence of black dots they feel in the field of vision, which move simultaneously with eye movements and remain fixed when the patient's eye does not move.

Other symptoms of cataracts include double vision, halos around objects in bright light, optical distortion, photophobia, dizziness, discomfort, visual disturbances that increase at night, when driving, writing, reading, sewing, when working with small details. .

Over time, as the cataract matures, vision deteriorates, the ability to read is lost, patients no longer recognize the faces of others and objects. In the future, only the ability to distinguish between light and shadows remains. The combination of these cataract symptoms leads to the development of professional and social maladjustment of a person. In the absence of timely treatment, the disease most often leads to complete blindness.

Cataract treatment

With cataracts, treatment should be started in a timely manner, it can be conservative and surgical.

Conservative treatments include prescribing drops that improve the metabolism (metabolism) of the lens to slow the progression of opacities. These include Taufon, Quinax, Oftan-katakhrom. Bury 1-2 drops into the conjunctival sac 3 times a day constantly. Breaks in treatment contribute to the progression of the disease.

However, most often cataracts are treated surgically. With the development of medicine, it is not even required to go to the hospital. Some operations are performed without incisions, on an outpatient basis, and the patient goes home the same day.

Operation

One of the modern surgical methods today is the treatment of cataracts with a laser. This operation does not take much time, it is performed under local anesthesia, which is used as drops. During the operation, the patient's lens is replaced, before that the cloudy fibers are cleaned (crushing occurs with a laser beam, the optimal length of which is 1.44 microns).

Today, surgery is considered one of the most effective methods of treating this disease; at the moment, medicine has all the conditions for the operation to be carried out without risk and with maximum comfort for the patient, which makes this method now more acceptable.

Another modern surgical method for the treatment of cataracts is ultrasonic phacoemulsification. Its essence is that the crushing of the lens occurs under the action of ultrasound, after which these fragments are sucked out of the eye using aspiration.

What happens if not treated?

A formidable complication of cataracts when delayed with surgical treatment is the development of secondary glaucoma.

The clouded lens, swelling and increasing in size, takes up more and more space inside the eye and prevents the normal outflow of intraocular fluid. With an increase in intraocular pressure, the functioning of the internal structures of the eye, including the retina and optic nerve, is disrupted.

If the cause of secondary glaucoma (in this case, an enlarged swollen lens) is not eliminated in a timely manner, irreversible death of the optic nerve fibers will occur and it will no longer be possible to return the lost visual functions in full.

Eye drops for cataracts

Scientists and ophthalmologists consider cataracts to be an irreversible process. They believe that the currently developed physiotherapy, pills and drops cannot return the clouded lens to its former transparency.

Drops for the treatment of cataracts:

Catarax. Drops stop the deformation of the lens of the eye, thereby slowing down the development of cataracts and maintaining transparency. It can be used during pregnancy and lactation.
Taurine. The substance improves metabolism in tissues, has a reparative effect. The composition contains an amino acid produced in the human body.
. The drug is an analogue of Taurine. Improves energy processes in tissues, stabilizes the functions of cell membranes. With prolonged use, it restores normal metabolism in the structures of the anterior segment of the eye.
(may occur under the name Katahrom). Combined antioxidant drug with a reparative effect. Improves the exchange of nutrients between the lens and the aqueous humor of the anterior chamber of the eye, thereby reducing the rate of fiber aging. Activates cellular respiration. Oftan catachrom is one of the leading eye drops in the ranking of cataract eye drops.
Catalin. Japanese remedy for cataracts. The drug prevents the transition of a water-soluble protein into an insoluble form. This slows down the growth of opacities in the lens.
Cataxol. It acts on the very cause of the manifestation of cataracts and slows down the clouding of the lens of the eye. That is, the drug protects it from oxidation.

Why were Quinax drops discontinued?

Drops have established themselves as an effective drug, so many are looking for its presence in pharmacies. It is not on sale now, because. Quinax has been discontinued. It was produced by the Alcon company, which is famous all over the world for the production of high-quality goods and medical preparations for the treatment of vision and eye diseases.

The company recently made the decision to phase out the drug. The exact reason is not clear, but most likely this is due to the production of other similar drugs that act faster, have fewer contraindications and side effects. Alcon has no further plans to resume the release of the drug.

Analogues of Quinax drops are the preparations Cataxol and Catarax.

Prevention

Currently, there are no proven effective ways to prevent the development of this disease. Secondary prevention includes early diagnosis and treatment of other eye conditions that can cause cataracts, as well as minimizing exposure to factors that contribute to its development.

lead a healthy lifestyle.
Healthy food.
avoid prolonged exposure to the sun.
after 50 years, at least once a year, you should be examined by an ophthalmologist.

Treatment of cataracts with folk remedies without surgery

You can use the following folk remedy for cataracts: dilute honey in half with water and drip into the eyes 2 drops 4 times a day. This folk method can be used only in the initial stages of the development of the disease and only for those patients who are not allergic to honey.

The following method is very effective and easy to prepare: Rinse sprouted potato sprouts thoroughly, dry and chop finely. Pour four tablespoons of the obtained raw material with 0.5 liters of vodka, leave for about two weeks and strain. You need to take this medicine in a dessert spoon two to three times a day. If after three months a sticky and thick tear from the eye begins to stand out, then the disease begins to come out.

However, blindly turning to alternative medicine is not worth it. It would be wise to consult an ophthalmologist on this matter. If the opacities in the lens continue to progress and the patient is concerned about this, then only surgical intervention can help.

Rumyantseva Anna Grigorievna

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Cataract - common among older people ophthalmic disease, which is characterized by clouding of the lens.

As a result of such a pathological change, the lens loses its ability to transmit and focus light, and the person loses sight.

Cataracts are best treated at an early stage, when the disease is not yet so widespread and the operation is quick and with minimal consequences.

In a person's youth, the lens of the eye is transparent and elastic, therefore it perfectly functions as a focusing lens, which transmits an image to the retina of the eye.

But over time, this element becomes cloudy - this is the beginning of the development of a cataract, which is recognized by the following signs:

a person ceases to clearly see the contours of objects;
correct color rendition is lost;
as the disease progresses, spots, stripes and strokes increasingly appear before the eyes.

Important! Cataract is treated only by surgical intervention, while this approach is most effective only at the initial stage of the disease.

Signs and symptoms of the initial stage of cataract

An initial cataract is diagnosed based on the following signs and symptoms:

drop in visual acuity;
deterioration in the quality of vision at dusk;
fear of light;
objects in the eyes double, and their outlines look blurry;
surrounding objects are seen in dimmer colors;
the appearance of dots, stripes and spots before the eyes.

Sometimes a cataract is accompanied by the rapid development of farsightedness or nearsightedness.

But in in some cases, a deceptive effect of improving vision is observed when a nearsighted person suddenly begins to read books without glasses and his visual acuity generally improves.

This is an insidious symptom of the initial stage of a cataract, which should not be taken as a miraculous cure..

The initial stage of cataract: treatment

If the patient has an initial stage of cataract, treatment by specialists is prescribed after a complete examination. Modern diagnostic methods do not require the presence of serious and obvious signs in order to start surgery to improve vision.

Important! At the current level of development of medicine, cataracts can be detected long before external signs appear, and even more so long before the patient has subjective symptoms.

Surgical methods

In the surgical treatment of primary cataract, the age of the patient plays an important role., and only a secondary factor is the stage of the disease.

It is almost impossible to treat the initial stage of cataracts in the elderly, since the body, weakened with age, will not be able to fight the disease on its own, even with support through the use of effective folk or drug methods.

In such cases, phacoemulsification is indicated - an operation to remove the pathological lens and replace it with an artificial intraocular lens, which acts as an artificial element for focusing the image.

Drug treatment

Treatment with medications at the initial stage of cataract is more of a preventive or preparatory measure.

She in extremely rare cases, helps prevent the formation of lens opacities.

But since the affected tissues can no longer be restored, it is impossible to dwell only on this method.

Medications are ophthalmic drops for the treatment of cataracts, the use of which takes place as part of the course prescribed by the attending physician.

The most common and effective drugs are:

Taufon. Promotes the restoration of metabolic and regenerative processes of the organs of vision, and with the constant use of such drops, the process of clouding of the lens greatly slows down. A secondary effect of such a drug is protection from the effects of infections that can provoke complications in the form of additional diseases.
Catarax. It slows down the processes of clouding and degeneration of the lens by stopping the reaction of proteins - proteins that make up the lens. The drug can be taken without fear of side effects, even for pregnant and lactating women.. In addition to affecting the processes of clouding, Catarax drops also increase the activity of the metabolic system of the eye, which helps to accelerate its regeneration.
Quinax. The most common drops protect the lens from oxidation, improve metabolic processes, and can also increase the transparency of the lens at the very first signs of the disease.

Attention! Before using such drugs, it is important to carefully read the instructions, as some drugs may have contraindications.

If for these reasons the use of such funds is not possible - you can try to reduce the rate of progression of the disease with the help of folk remedies.

Folk remedies for the treatment of cataracts

Often in folk recipes that help in the treatment of cataracts, it is mentioned honey.

This is a universal remedy that is used in the treatment of many ailments, but for ophthalmic diseases, honey can be especially effective if used in different forms and options:

Important! Such recipes are contraindicated for people allergic to honey, in which case it is better to use other, more gentle recipes.

One of them - a remedy based on petals of cornflower, elderberry, eyebright herb and grass called common lenok.

All components are mixed in equal proportions, but in small quantities: one tablespoon of herbal collection should be obtained. This amount of grass is poured into 0.5 liters of water and brought to a boil. Strained decoction can be instilled into the eyes for three months daily (five drops per day).

Beginning cataract is effectively treated with potato sprouts. They are cut from tubers, dried for several days and poured with 200 grams of vodka, while it is enough to take only two tablespoons of dried sprouts.

Within 14 days, the remedy is infused, after which it can be taken orally three times a day before meals, one teaspoonful.

If, after two or three months, mucous discharge appears from the eyes, it means that the method is working, and the course must be continued until the turbidity disappears completely.

Useful video

From this video you will learn about whether it is possible to perform surgery at the initial stage of a cataract:

At the initial stage, the success of a complete or partial cure of cataracts is quite large. It is better to use medications and folk remedies just at this time, but before using such methods, you should consult a doctor.

It is also not necessary to refuse the operation if there are indications, but additional funds can be used both before the operation (as preparation) and after (as prevention).

In contact with

Cataract is a rather serious ophthalmic disease, which is a clouding of the lens of the eye with a subsequent decrease in visual acuity. The severity of the disease lies in the fact that it is thanks to the lens that a person is able to see. The main risk group is the elderly, who are interested in the possibility of treating cataracts without surgery with drugs.

There are many reasons that cause this disease:

advanced age, at which the body's ability to interfere with environmental stimuli decreases;
sugar;
smoking and excessive alcohol consumption;
injuries of the visual apparatus;
prolonged exposure to ultraviolet rays;
serious infectious and dermatological diseases;
strong;
eye.

It is important to know! The disease is progressive! Therefore, timely diagnosis and treatment will help to avoid severe vision loss.

Symptoms of the disease

At the initial stage of development, a cataract is quite easy to detect. The disease is accompanied by such signs:

weak vision;
in bright light;
clarity in the vision of surrounding objects disappears;
poor visibility at night.

In people with diabetes, very often develops! Therefore, this group of people should be attentive to their vision.

This eye disease is very common throughout the world. Therefore, a large list of medications for the treatment of cataracts has been developed, which help to avoid surgery. Special drops have a positive effect on the lens, due to which clouding in the eyes slows down its development.

Medicines can perform the following functions:

improvement of processes that positively affect the functionality of the lens;
increased blood flow;
providing the eyes with nutrients and vitamins.

The most common drug treatments for cataracts are:

Quinax. Protects the eyes from irritating environmental influences, has a stabilizing effect. In addition, it has the ability to dissolve cloudy protein formations in the lens, and has a beneficial effect on its transparency. The price of this drug is about 270 rubles. in Russia and about 80 UAH. in Ukraine.
Vicein. A drug that contains a number of useful substances that have a beneficial effect on getting rid of cataracts. The cost of such drops in Russia is 250 rubles, for Ukraine - about 70 UAH.
Taufon. The main active ingredient in these drops is taurine. With its help, regeneration of eye tissues occurs, visual ability is stabilized, metabolism returns to normal. These are broad-spectrum drops that help treat not only cataracts, but also other diseases of the visual apparatus. The medicine is quite expensive. For Russia - 1400 rubles, and in Ukraine it can be purchased for 350 UAH.
Vitaidurol. These drops contribute to the quality of the lens, prevent the accumulation of protein deposits in it, enrich the eyes with vitamins and nutrients. The average price for Russia is 260 UAH, the Ukrainian cost is about 65 UAH.
Oftan Katahrom. An ophthalmic drug that has a complex stabilizing effect. Improves functional processes in the lens, contributes to its normalization. Eliminates clouding of the eyes, promotes normal blood flow in the tissues of the eyes, relieves inflammation. You can buy this medicine in Russia for 280 rubles, Ukrainian pharmacies sell approximately 70 UAH.
Senkatalin. The drug helps to reduce and prevent the destructive processes of the visual apparatus. Assumes the treatment of cataracts in diabetes. The drug can be bought in Russia for 300 rubles, Ukrainians have the opportunity to purchase it for 100 UAH.

Any medicine for eye cataracts should be used in combination with taking vitamins, which are aimed at enhancing the effective effect of the drops.

It is important to know! Despite the positive dynamics of cataract treatment with medications, it is effective only in the early stages of the disease!

Any, even the best medicine, if not used correctly, will not bring a positive effect. Therefore, you need to know how to use eye drops correctly. The step by step guide is:

wash hands thoroughly with soap;
carefully open the package;
lie on your back, looking up;
put the bottle upside down over the eye, but do not touch it;
gently pull the lower eyelid;
look up, press down on the package so that medicine begins to drip from it;
close your eyes and walk with massage movements on the inner surface of the eyes to enhance the effectiveness of the drug;
if the use of 2 types of medication is required, then you should wait about 15 minutes between instillations;
Seal the package and store according to the instructions.

It is important to know! The complex use of drops helps to achieve a faster recovery!

The advanced stage of cataract is dangerous for the appearance of more serious diseases. The most common complications of the disease can be:

an inflammatory process that increases intraocular pressure;
progression of glaucoma;
hemorrhage due to destruction of the iris;
change in the size of the lens with its subsequent displacement;
partial or complete loss of vision.

Important to remember! The initial stage of cataracts is much easier to cure! A person may not notice signs of the onset of the disease at first. Therefore, every year it is required to undergo a preventive examination in order to prevent cataracts. The development of this disease can last from 4 to 15 years.

Preventive actions

Most often, cataracts are a disease of the elderly. Therefore, this group of people should definitely undergo an examination by an ophthalmologist at least once every 6 months. The effectiveness of treatment at an early stage is the highest. You should also follow these guidelines:

Get rid of bad habits. Drinking alcohol and smoking disrupts the normal processes in the body, as a result of which cataracts begin to progress.
Maintaining a balanced diet. The use of fresh vegetables and fruits has a positive effect not only on the functioning of the visual apparatus, but also on the whole organism as a whole.
Use of sunglasses. Exposure to direct sunlight adversely affects vision. As a result of periodic prolonged exposure to the sun without glasses, it can lead to the development of the disease.
The use of eye drops is an excellent prevention of cataracts. To do this, you can use drugs intended for treatment. It should only be used in smaller doses.

In order to avoid relapse, you should carefully monitor the condition of the visual apparatus and lead a healthy lifestyle.

Primary cataract is an eye disease whose main characteristic is clouding of the lens. The process is progressive and can lead to blindness in one or both eyes. Ophthalmologists consider protein deficiency in the tissues of the lens and metabolic disorders to be the main cause of the manifestation of the disease. This pathology causes visual disturbances of various levels.

Opacification of the lens is recorded mainly in older people after 75 years (about 46%). The likelihood of developing the disease after 50 years is quite high. Cataracts today are often found in young people, which is due to:

with bad ecology;
excessive load on the eyes;
an increase in the percentage of spinal problems in this age group.

The risk group includes people:

with a genetic predisposition;
with problems of the endocrine system (diabetes mellitus).

The likelihood of developing the disease is also high in people:

working and living in adverse conditions;
exposed to radiation and hazardous radiation.

In addition to the age factor, the frequent manifestation of pathology is affected by:

smoking;
eye injury.

Stages of the disease

There are the following stages of pathology:

initial phase;
immature cataract;
mature cataract;
overripe cataract.

The initial stage of the disease is manifested by a slight clouding of the lens of the eye along its periphery, outside the optical region. A noticeable decrease in vision is not noticed. From time to time, the disturbing phenomena manifested by patients are attributed to fatigue or to other already existing eye diseases, for example, to myopia. Detection of the disease at the initial stage is quite difficult, the examination is carried out with special equipment. In older patients, it is easier to identify the first signs of cataract.

An immature cataract is characterized by the movement of opacity to the central optical zone. Visual acuity in this phase is significantly reduced.
With a mature cataract, the lens is completely closed by clouding. The patient distinguishes only light illumination.

The pathology is progressive. The clouding process is manifested by the disintegration of the lens fibers, the lens acquires a milky white color.

Kinds

There are two types of illness:

congenital;
acquired.

The congenital form of pathology is fixed immediately after the birth of a child or at the age of up to a year. The initial stage of congenital cataract is not easily treatable due to its genetic nature. The latest treatments improve visual function in these patients, and cases of complete healing are possible.

Acquired cataract has its subspecies. At the initial stage, all types appear identically. The rate of progression of the pathology depends on the individual inclinations of the body, on external factors, as well as on the patient's lifestyle.

The senile appearance is one of the subspecies of the disease, often manifested by a slight improvement in vision. After a short period of time, vision begins to deteriorate sharply. The initial cataract is treated with medication, but in the future, a patient with such a pathology is recommended for surgery.

Causes

There are a number of factors and diseases against which cataracts begin to develop. If there is a predisposition to the occurrence of metabolic disorders in the lens of the eye, it will be correct to periodically undergo examinations by a doctor in order to detect the disease at an early stage.

The main causes of the manifestation of pathology are as follows:

malfunctions of the thyroid gland;
Down syndrome;
addiction to alcohol and tobacco;
eye injury;
use of corticosteroids;
injury to the eye by UV rays, burns;
insufficient amount of antioxidants, low body resistance (senile age);
chorioretinitis;
glaucoma;
retinal detachment;
fuchs syndrome;
iridocyclitis;
infectious diseases (typhus, smallpox, malaria);
anemia;
poisoning with toxins, including naphthalene or thallium;
certain skin ailments such as Jacobi's poikiloderma, streptoderma, eczema, neurodermatitis;
myopia of the third degree;
congenital pathology of the lens - mainly develops as a consequence of infections suffered by the mother during pregnancy (toxoplasmosis, rubella, influenza);
unfavorable conditions at the place of work, for example, labor activity in a hot shop;
genetic predisposition.

Symptoms

With a congenital cataract, a child has strabismus, a lack of reaction to objects, a change in the color of the pupil to white.

The word cataract comes from Greek and means "waterfall". The name is associated with the main symptom - dim, blurry vision, blurring of the image.

The main symptoms of an acquired disease include:

decreased visual function, if before it was normal;
development of myopia;
improvement in farsightedness - objects in the field of view without clear contours;
doubling of the image;
yellow, gray or white pupil;
difficulties associated with the perception of color - shades are perceived as overly saturated or vice versa gray;
vision is sharply reduced in poor lighting and at night;
increased sensitivity to light - since the lens transmits an image with glare and halos, a person feels the reflection of light from all surfaces.

With an initial cataract, the first symptoms are double vision, photophobia, spots before the eyes.

Diagnostics

The disease is treated by an ophthalmologist-surgeon. It is not difficult to detect the disease. Difficulties arise in determining the stage, localization, etiology of opacification and establishing the required volume and tactics of the operation.

The following examinations are carried out:

standard ways;
visometry;
study - assessment of stereoscopic vision with two eyes at the same time;
perimetry - fixing the fields of view;
tonometry;
biomicroscopy - the examination helps the ophthalmologist-surgeon to choose the most effective method of cataract removal, a slit lamp is used in the study, the procedure is carried out under conditions of drug midiasis;
gonioscopy - the method is applicable to determine the tactics of the operation when there is a pathology of the lens in combination with glaucoma.

Also held:

Laboratory studies are also important:

blood and urine analysis;
glycemia;
coagulogram;
blood test for HIV, hepatitis B and C, sexually transmitted diseases.

If an initial cataract is diagnosed, treatment should not be delayed, since with a cataract the lens increases in size and occupies a large area in the anterior chamber of the eye, disrupting the outflow of intraocular fluid, which provokes the appearance of glaucoma. Cataract leads to atrophy of the optic nerve.

Cataracts cannot be treated with eye drops. Drugs can only temporarily slow down the progress of the disease, but not cure it.

The only way to treat is surgery.

The use of modern methods of ophthalmology has made it possible to perform surgery in the initial stages of a cataract and in this way avoid the likely serious consequences that occur when a mature cataract is removed.

Treatment

The development of cataracts can be slowed down by medical means. Frequently used are:

Quinax;
Oftan-Katahrom;
Bestoxol.

At the initial stage of cataract, Fakovit tablets are also prescribed, which contribute to the normalization of metabolic processes in the lens, and the removal of toxins from the body.

In order to strengthen the walls of blood vessels and capillaries, special vitamin complexes are prescribed.

The correct and complete treatment of the disease is surgery. It is carried out in two stages:

Phacoemulsification. Under local anesthesia, an incision is made in the cornea. After that, the removal of damaged areas of the lens begins.
Installation of an intraocular lens.

Prevention

in sunny weather, wear sunglasses.
include foods high in antioxidants in your diet.
to refuse from bad habits.
after 40 years, periodically undergo examinations by an ophthalmologist.