What exactly is cataract?

Remember how in school you were taught that your eyes are like a camera? The retina is what forms the image. Your eye lens is what focuses the light on the retina. When this lens becomes hazy, you have a cataract condition.

Reasons

The main reason for getting this is old age. However, you can get it at a younger age if:

• You are suffering from diabetes
• Taking medication like steroids
• Had an eye injury

Symptoms

If you are suffering from the following symptoms make sure that you get your eyes checked:

• Blurry vision
• Not being able to see well at night
• Getting a glare from sunlight

Treatment

A laser cataract surgery, medically known as Phancoemulsification is the treatment that is generally given. This surgery is not done by a laser but an ultra sound. In this procedure, the affected cataract lens is removed and replaced with an artificial one.

Before the surgery there are no particular precautions to be taken. The surgery is done under local anaesthesia and hence is not painful.

After the surgery, you will not experience pain but these are the precautions to be taken:

• Avoid exposure to the sunlight for the next two to three days
• Take a bath from your neck downwards for the next four to five days.
• Give your eyes rest for three days.

The artificial lens that are replaced are for life and hence you do not need to get operated again.

This treatment is available at reputed hospitals and clinics.