What about cataracts? What are the consequences of a cataract if not operated on? Do cataracts need surgery?

A disease in which the lens, which is one of the natural lenses of the optical system of the human eye, loses its transparency. As a result, there is a barrier to light rays, which normally should be freely focused on the retina, which is why vision deteriorates with cataracts.

A person suffering from this ailment has a feeling of flickering strokes and dots before the eyes, halos form around objects in bright light, blurring the image. There are also difficulties in reading, writing and visual work with small details.

Is it possible to insure against cataracts?

One of the causes of cataracts is changes in the biochemical composition of the lens. Most often this is due to age-related changes that occur in the human body - therefore, unfortunately, no one is immune from cataracts. It can be conditionally said that if people lived up to 120 years or more, then everyone would have cataracts.

What factors contribute to the development of cataracts?

There are many factors contributing to the development of cataracts: genetic predisposition, metabolic disorders, diabetes mellitus, beriberi, ultraviolet radiation, increased radiation, unfavorable environmental conditions. But the most common is age-related cataract. Its cause is the changes that occur throughout the human body.

Are there cures for cataracts?

Sadly, cataracts cannot be cured with medication. Medicines can only slow down the progression of the disease. The only way to get rid of cataracts is through surgery, removing the clouded natural lens of the eye and replacing it with an artificial, intraocular lens.

Can a cataract be removed with a laser?

Also, the final quality of vision is affected by the choice of an artificial lens model for implantation. Now multifocal intraocular lenses are used, which have almost all the properties of a natural lens and allow you to clearly see objects located at any distance. Such intraocular lenses give their owners the opportunity to get rid of not only cataracts, but also restore vision that has deteriorated due to other eye diseases - astigmatism, myopia and hyperopia, including age.

Are there any restrictions after the operation?

Restrictions after modern surgery are minimal. But doctors warn that during the first month after the operation it is necessary to protect the eyes from excessive stress, avoid sharp bends, do not expose the eyes to sudden temperature changes, and try not to abuse alcohol. Watch TV, read, write, eat any food as usual. If you experience discomfort from bright light, it is recommended to use sunglasses.

Up to what age can cataract surgery be performed?

The high reliability, predictability and safety of phacoemulsification technology makes it possible to use this method in the treatment of patients of different ages. So, the oldest patient of the Excimer clinic, who had a cataract removed, was 102 years old at the time of the operation, and the smallest was only 5 months old.

What is included in the cost of the operation?

At the Excimer Ophthalmological Clinic, the cost of cataract surgery includes all consumables and medicines, an intraocular lens, and necessary postoperative examinations.

Cataract - clouding of the lens. For the treatment of this disease, it is mandatory to resort to surgical intervention, since drug treatment is ineffective. During the operation, the doctor removes the lens and inserts an intraocular lens instead. There are several types of surgical intervention. The choice in favor of one of them is made by the ophthalmologist after carrying out diagnostic measures.

Causes of the disease and symptoms

The exact factors that provoke the occurrence of cataracts have not been identified. However, doctors call some predisposing causes that can contribute to the development of pathology:

• ultraviolet irradiation with damage to the visual organs;
• lack of antioxidants in the diet;
• malnutrition of the lens due to advanced age;
• inflammatory pathologies of the eyes, for example, glaucoma;
• anemia;
• unhealthy and unbalanced diet;
• impact on the body of toxic substances;
• diabetes;
• damage to the skull and eye of a traumatic nature;
• myopia in the advanced stage;
• genetic predisposition.

Due to clouding of the lens, patients complain of visual impairment, especially at night.

If we talk about symptoms, then the signs of cataracts are directly related to the localization, form and stage of clouding of the biological lens. For example, if the disease is advanced, the symptoms will be more pronounced. As the disease progresses, vision deteriorates. Some patients note a veil before their eyes, the presence of black dots. Another sign that may indicate the development of cataracts is the distortion of the visible picture. In addition, the following symptoms are distinguished:

• photophobia;
• pain in the head;
• dizziness;
• severe deterioration of visual functions at night.

Indications for surgery

Doctors have not come to a consensus on the stage at which cataract surgery should be performed. Recently, most doctors believed that the disease needed to mature. In the early stages of the onset of the pathology, doctors advised not to take risks and not remove the cataract. However, time does not stand still, and now doctors recommend operating on the eyes immediately after the detection of pathology. Indications for the operation can be any stage of the development of the disease, including the initial ones.

Operation types

The most effective and safe

With the help of ultrasonic phacoemulsification, the doctor eliminates the clouding of the biological lens.

The intervention is necessarily carried out if the patient is diagnosed with cataracts in both eyes. One of the most effective methods of surgery is ultrasonic phacoemulsification. This type of intervention implies that the surgeon makes a small incision and introduces a phacoemulsifier into the anterior part of the visual organ, which makes it possible to destroy the lens substance, turning it into an emulsion. The doctor then removes this substance using special tubes. The back of the biological lens is left in place, it serves as a barrier between the iris and the vitreous body.

After the so-called emulsion has been removed, the surgeon polishes the posterior region to eliminate the epithelium that is on it. At the end of the intervention, an intraocular lens is introduced into the visual organ and the incision is sealed. One of the most significant advantages of this operation is the absence of postoperative sutures. Negative consequences occur in a minimum number of patients.

The visual organs are also operated on by another method, which is called femtolaser phacoemulsification. This method is similar to a laser procedure. However, during its implementation, the lens masses are destroyed not with the help of a laser beam, but due to ultrasonic waves. This type of surgery is considered the safest and most painless.

However, there is a serious drawback of the operation, which is the high cost. This makes the procedure problematic for many patients.

Cataract of the eye is a complex ophthalmic pathology characterized by clouding of the lens. Lack of timely treatment threatens with loss of vision. The disease usually progresses slowly into adulthood. However, certain types of cataracts are characterized by rapid development and can lead to blindness in the shortest possible time.

At risk are people after fifty years. Age-related changes and disruption of metabolic processes in the eye structures often lead to a loss of transparency of the lens. The cause of cataracts can also be eye injuries, toxic poisoning, existing ophthalmic pathologies, diabetes mellitus, and much more.

All patients with cataracts have a progressive decrease in visual acuity. The first symptom is fog in the eyes. Cataracts can cause double vision, dizziness, photophobia, and difficulty reading or working with fine details. As the pathology progresses, patients even cease to recognize their acquaintances on the street.

Conservative treatment is advisable only at the initial stage of cataract. It should be understood that drug therapy protects against the rapid progression of the disease, but it is not able to save a person from the disease and restore transparency to the lens. If the clouding of the lens further increases, cataract surgery is required.

General information about cataract surgery

At the first stages of clouding of the lens, dynamic observation by an ophthalmologist is indicated. The operation can be performed from the moment the patient's vision begins to decrease significantly.

A direct indication for an operation to replace the lens is visual impairment, which causes discomfort in everyday life and limits work. The selection of an intraocular lens is done by a specialist. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia. An anesthetic drops are instilled into the conjunctival sac before the operation. Usually the removal of the lens lasts half an hour. On the same day, the patient can be at home.

ATTENTION! In case of complete blindness, cataract surgery will not bring any results.

Modern medicine does not stand still, so the replacement of the lens of the eye with cataracts can be done in various ways. The essence of the procedure is to remove the natural lens. It is emulsified and removed. An artificial implant is placed in place of the deformed lens.

Surgery may be used in the following cases:

• overripe stage of cataract;
• swelling form;
• dislocation of the lens;
• secondary glaucoma;
• abnormal forms of clouding of the lens.

There are not only medical, but also professional and household indications for the operation. For workers in some professions, there are high requirements for vision. This applies to drivers, pilots, operators. The doctor may also recommend a lens replacement if the person is unable to perform normal household chores due to decreased vision, or if the visual field is severely narrowed.

Contraindications

Any eye surgery has a number of limitations, and lens replacement is no exception. Cataract removal with lens replacement is prohibited in the following cases:

• infectious diseases;
• exacerbation of a chronic process;
• ophthalmic disorders of an inflammatory nature;
• recent stroke or heart attack;
• period of pregnancy or lactation;
• mental disorders accompanied by inadequacy of the patient;
• oncological processes in the eye area.

The ban on the operation of pregnant women and nursing mothers is explained by the fact that during surgery, medical support for the patient is necessary. Doctors prescribe antibacterial, sedative, analgesic drugs, which may not have the best effect on the condition of a woman and a child.

Age up to eighteen years is a relative contraindication to the operation. In each case, the doctor makes an individual decision. It largely depends on the condition of the patient.

It is dangerous to perform surgery for decompensated glaucoma. This can lead to bleeding and loss of vision. Surgical intervention should be carried out after the normalization of intraocular pressure.

If the patient has no light perception, surgical treatment is not performed. This indicates that irreversible processes have begun to develop in the retina and surgical intervention will no longer help here. If during the study it turns out that vision can be partially restored, an operation is prescribed.

Complicating factors during surgery include:

• diabetes;
• hypertension;
• chronic pathologies;
• under the age of eighteen.

Most often, cataracts occur in old age. Elderly people often have serious illnesses. In some of them, anesthesia is a big health risk. Many modern techniques involve the use of local anesthesia, which does not put an increased burden on the cardiovascular system.

The operation to replace the lens can not be done in case of infectious diseases

Techniques

Let's talk about four modern techniques that help to completely get rid of the clouding of the lens.

Laser phacoemulsification

The operation requires the surgeon to be extremely precise and focused. It is prescribed when hardening is detected in the eye environments, which is absolutely not sensitive to ultrasonic exposure. Laser phacoemulsification is not available to many patients, as it involves the use of special expensive equipment.

The operation can be performed in extremely difficult cases:

• with glaucoma;
• diabetes mellitus;
• subluxation of the lens;
• dystrophic changes in the cornea;
• various injuries;
• loss of endothelial cells.

Before the procedure, the patient is given anesthetic drops. A healthy eye is covered with a medical napkin, and the area around the affected eye is treated with an antiseptic.

Next, the surgeon makes a small incision through the cornea. The laser beam crushes the clouded lens. It focuses in the thickness of the lens, while not damaging the cornea. After that, the clouded lens is split into tiny particles. During surgery, patients may see small flashes of light.

Then the capsule is prepared for the implantation of an artificial lens (about the rules for choosing an artificial lens). A pre-selected intraocular lens is placed. The incision is sealed using a sutureless method.

IMPORTANT! During the operation, the surgeon does not insert instruments into the eye, thereby reducing the risk of postoperative complications.

Complications appear quite rarely, yet they are possible. Among the negative consequences are the appearance of bleeding, displacement of the artificial lens, retinal detachment. Following all the doctor's recommendations and observing the rules of hygiene is the best way to avoid the development of dangerous complications!

Laser phacoemulsification does not imply mandatory hospitalization. A few hours after the procedure, a person can return home. Recovery of visual function occurs within a few days.

However, some restrictions will have to be taken into account for some time. During the first two months, try not to overwork your eyes. Better to stop driving. To minimize the risk of complications, you will have to take medications and vitamins prescribed by your doctor.

Ultrasonic phacoemulsification

This technique is recognized as one of the most effective and safe in the treatment of cataracts. If already at the first stage a person experiences discomfort, then, at his request, a replacement of the lens can be carried out.

Surgical treatment is absolutely painless, the patient does not experience any discomfort during the procedure. Anesthetize and immobilize the eyeball with topical agents. Drops with an anesthetic effect can be used: Alkain, Tetracain, Proparacaine. Also, for anesthesia, injections are carried out in the area around the eyes.

With the help of ultrasound, the damaged lens is crushed into small particles, turning into an emulsion. The removed lens is replaced by an intraocular lens. It is made individually, taking into account the characteristics of the eye of each patient.

ATTENTION! Concomitant eye pathologies reduce the effectiveness of surgical interventions.

During the procedure, the surgeon makes a small incision. This became possible due to the high flexibility of the IOL. They are introduced in a folded state, and already inside the capsule they are straightened and take the desired shape.

During the recovery period, intense physical activity and high temperatures should be avoided. Doctors categorically forbid visiting saunas and baths. It is not recommended to sleep on the side on which the eye was operated on. In order to avoid infection, it is temporarily better to stop using decorative cosmetics. Your eyes should not be exposed to the harsh rays of the sun, so don't forget to wear glasses with an ultraviolet filter.

Extracapsular extraction

This is a simple traditional technique without the use of expensive equipment. A large incision is made in the shell of the eye, through which the clouded lens is completely removed. A characteristic feature of EEC is the preservation of the lens capsule, which serves as a natural barrier between the vitreous tolium and the artificial lens.

Extensive wounds require suturing, and this affects visual function after surgery. Patients develop astigmatism and farsightedness. The recovery period takes up to four months. Extracapsular extraction is carried out with mature cataracts and a hardened lens.

When extracting a cataract, the surgeon has to make a large incision, followed by suturing

The most commonly used tunnel technique. During the operation, the lens is divided into two parts and removed. In this case, the risk of postoperative complications is reduced.

Removal of sutures does not require anesthesia. About a month later, glasses are selected. A postoperative scar can cause astigmatism. Therefore, in order to avoid its discrepancy, injuries and excessive physical exertion should be avoided.

Despite the high efficiency of modern techniques, in some cases, specialists prefer traditional surgery. EEC is prescribed for weakness of the ligamentous apparatus of the lens, overripe cataracts, corneal dystrophy. Also, the traditional operation is indicated for narrow pupils that do not expand, as well as for the detection of secondary cataracts with IOL disintegration.

IMPORTANT! Vision begins to recover already during the operation, but it takes time to fully stabilize.

Intracapsular extraction

It is carried out using a special tool - a cryoextractor. It instantly freezes the lens and makes it hard. This facilitates its subsequent removal. The lens is removed along with the capsule. There is a risk that particles of the lens will remain in the eye. This is fraught with the development of pathological changes in visual structures. Unremoved particles grow and fill the free space, which increases the risk of developing a secondary cataract.

Among the advantages of IEC, one can single out the affordable cost, since it eliminates the need to use expensive equipment.

Training

What tests should be done before the operation? The visual apparatus and the whole organism are checked to exclude contraindications for surgical intervention. If any inflammatory processes were detected during the diagnosis, the pathological foci are sanitized and anti-inflammatory therapy is carried out before the operation.

The following studies are mandatory:

• general analysis of blood and urine;
• coagulogram;
• hematological biochemistry;
• blood glucose test;
• analysis for HIV infection, syphilis and viral hepatitis.

Disinfecting and pupil dilating drops are injected into the operated eye. For anesthesia, eye drops or injections into the area around the eye can be used.

The selection of an artificial lens is a complex and time-consuming process. This is perhaps one of the most crucial stages of preparation, since the patient's vision after surgery depends on the quality of the chosen lens.

Recovery period

The operation is well tolerated by patients in most cases. In rare cases, experts complain about the appearance of discomfort, including:

• photophobia,
• discomfort,
• fast fatiguability.

After the operation, the patient goes home. A sterile bandage is applied to the person's eye. During the day, he must observe complete rest. Approximately two hours later, food is allowed.

IMPORTANT! In the first time after surgery, patients should avoid sudden movements, not lift weights, and refrain from alcohol.

For a speedy recovery, you must follow medical recommendations:

• follow the rules of eye hygiene;
• within three weeks after the operation, do not go out without sunglasses;
• do not touch the operated eye and do not rub it;
• refuse to visit swimming pools, baths or saunas;
• reduce the time spent in front of the TV and computer, as well as reading;
• do not drive a car for the first two weeks;
• dietary compliance.

Learn more about rehabilitation after surgery.

What is a cataract?

The human eye has a transparent "living" natural lens - the lens, located behind the iris. The transparent cornea and lens work together to allow the eye to focus on objects at different distances. The image of objects is projected onto the retina - the light-sensitive cover inside the eye.

Cataract(from the Greek katarrhaktes - waterfall) is a clouding of the lens that prevents the passage of light rays into the eye and leads to a decrease in visual acuity.

Who can develop cataracts?

Unfortunately, almost all of us. The fact is that one of the causes of cataracts is age-related changes.

Sometimes there is a congenital or acquired cataract, the development of which is influenced by such causes as trauma, metabolic disorders or beriberi, diabetes mellitus and unfavorable environmental conditions (radiation, microwave and ultraviolet radiation, increased radiation). Usually, cataracts develop in both eyes, although one may be affected several months, in some cases, several years earlier.

But the most common is cataract, which develops after 40 years. Its cause is the changes that occur over time in the body.

• The incipient senile cataract is characterized by a slight decrease in vision and the presence in the lens (detected when viewed through a microscope) of streaky opacities extending from its periphery to the center (Fig. 1);
• with immature cataract, the decrease in vision is more significant, which is associated with an increase in opacities in the lens (Fig. 2);
• mature cataract is characterized by a sharp decrease in vision (up to light perception) and clouding of the entire substance of the lens, which becomes grayish-white (Fig. 3). The maturation of senile cataract usually lasts 1-3 years or more.

You should not self-diagnose yourself with a drop in vision, believing that you are developing age-related farsightedness. If you began to see worse, then the reasons for this can be very different. Not everyone knows that some eye diseases that develop after the age of 40, if left untreated, lead to blindness. Only an experienced doctor with the help of modern technology is able to make a diagnosis of "cataract" at the very beginning of the development of the disease. That is why early diagnosis is so important.

What are the symptoms of a cataract?

Often the pathological process begins with a thickening of the lens. As a result, it becomes more convex, and the light rays are refracted more sharply. Because of this, near vision is aggravated and a person develops myopia. Most often this phenomenon is observed in elderly people with senile farsightedness: they suddenly find that they can read without glasses. However, after a relatively short period of improvement, vision begins to deteriorate again. Another characteristic symptom is that a person sees better at dusk than in bright light. This occurs when only the central part of the lens, located directly behind the pupil, is clouded. In bright light, the pupil constricts and the rays passing through it fall on the central, clouded part of the lens, which becomes an obstacle on their way to the retina. In low light, the pupil dilates and light rays pass freely through the transparent part of the lens to the retina. With a cataract, a person looking at a light bulb, car headlights, or any other light source may see a halo around them. This is due to the fact that the rays, having reached the clouded lens, are scattered, and do not fall directly on the retina, as happens with normal vision. Sometimes in such cases, people even have photophobia.

In general, whether or not a person notices a developing cataract depends on the size and location of the area of ​​clouding in the lens. If it is on the periphery, you can be unaware of the disease for a long time. Conversely, the closer to the center of the lens is the opacification, the faster vision problems occur. Objects begin to be seen indistinctly, their outline is blurred, sometimes they double. These negative phenomena are gradually increasing, forcing more and more often to change glasses to stronger ones. Usually black, the pupil may become yellowish or even white.

Finally, there are a number of other obvious cataract symptoms. There is a need for brighter lighting when reading or sewing. A person often wipes his glasses, because it seems to him that the glasses fog up all the time. There is a feeling of a film on the eyes that you want to erase. Letters begin to merge, and then lines of text. And in the finale, you stop distinguishing the number of the approaching bus, trolleybus, tram. If you have any of the symptoms listed above, you should definitely consult an ophthalmologist.

What are the treatments for cataracts?

Ever since the time of Hippocrates, mankind has been trying to find ways to treat cataracts therapeutically. However, in general, medical treatment of cataracts is ineffective. Miracle drugs that can restore the transparency of the lens do not exist. In the initial stage, various drops are used that contain a set of vitamins and microelements (catahrom, catalin, dulcifac, quinax, sencatalin, taufon, vicein, withiodurol, vitafakol and others).

Clouding of the lens is an irreversible change in its structure and the ratio of the main components: water, proteins and trace elements, which cannot be eliminated either by diet, or by special massage, or by various folk remedies.

The only sure way to get rid of cataracts is surgical, which today has been improved to such an extent that the operation can be performed even on an outpatient basis.

When to do the operation?

Previously, ophthalmologists believed that cataracts should be removed only after they matured. This takes an average of 3 to 5 years or more. And now they came to the conclusion that the best results are given by operations with incompletely mature cataracts. Therefore, if, due to the appearance of a cataract, vision in the diseased eye has decreased by 20-30 percent, then, although this does not interfere much in everyday life, an operation must be performed. The operation is performed under local anesthesia, so the patient does not experience any discomfort. Moreover, the surgeon works with a special microscope, which simultaneously illuminates and enlarges the surgical field. The age of the patient does not play a role, it is easily tolerated even by people over 80 years old. If both eyes are damaged by a cataract, then surgery on both eyes is possible on an individual basis during one hospitalization.

What is ultrasonic cataract removal?

The operation itself consists of several stages.

The first stage is an incision, the size of which is only 2.5 - 2.75 mm (that is, in fact, this is, in fact, a puncture). Moreover, it can be done not in the cornea, but in the sclera. Then a small tunnel is laid to the lens at an angle, through which the cloudy mass is removed. In this case, a suture can be dispensed with, since the incision closes itself under the pressure of the eyelids. This is quite enough for the complete healing of a tiny wound, since the edges of the sclera grow together quickly. In addition, the integrity of the cornea is preserved.

Through the incision, a hollow needle with a silicone coating is inserted into the lens, which protects the tissues from damage. Ultrasound of a strictly defined frequency is fed through it, which crushes the clouded nucleus of the lens. Then this mass is sucked off using a special tip of the phacoemulsifier, which cleans the inner surface of the capsule literally to a mirror shine.

After that, an intraocular lens (IOL), that is, an artificial lens, is inserted with a special injector (resembling a syringe in terms of the mechanism of action). The big advantage of this technique is the tightness of the surgical field during the entire operation, and in addition to everything else, the time costs are much less than before.

In order for such a perfect technique as phacoemulsification to give a good result, the latest equipment is needed. Of course, it is no less important in whose hands this technique ended up. A lot depends on the qualifications of the surgeon, on what experience he has, where he practiced, what he can do. Indeed, during the operation, unexpected problems may arise and the surgeon must be ready to solve them himself, without calling for help from another specialist.

What is laser cataract removal?

Laser radiation is introduced into the eye cavity through a thin (0.7 mm) laser light guide through a pinpoint puncture in the sclera. Under the action of laser pulses, the lens is destroyed. The substance of the lens turns into fine dust and is sucked out through a special thin tube inserted into the eye through an additional puncture of 1.5 mm. The whole operation takes only 10-15 minutes.

During the operation, the lens is destroyed layer by layer. First, the central most dense sections of the nucleus are fragmented, and then the softest, peripheral sections of the lens. This technique provides the fastest and safest removal of the lens substance. An elastic artificial lens is introduced into the vacated space, which has unique optical properties.

The use of a laser provides a number of advantages compared to the existing technique of performing an operation using cutting instruments.

Firstly, laser intervention allows you to dose the penetration of the laser to the required depth.

Secondly, reduces the risk of infectious complications, since the operation area, being under the influence of laser radiation, remains sterile.

Thirdly, the decrease in intraocular pressure during such operations is more stable, since tissue scarring during laser intervention is more gentle compared to scarring after traditional surgery.

What to expect after surgery?

Most of all, any patient is worried about what his vision will be like after the operation. This question will be answered after the diagnosis.

The feeling of someone who has undergone cataract surgery can be described as follows. In your youth, you looked at the world through a completely imperceptible transparent glass, over time a layer of dust settled on it: the colors became not so bright and juicy, objects lost their clarity of outline. The farther away, the less you could see through these layers. After the operation, you will have the impression that the glass has been washed very well, and you can see again as beautifully as before. Of course, the result largely depends on whether you have concomitant diseases - glaucoma, macular degeneration. They can also significantly affect the function of the eye and prevent the full restoration of vision. But it also happens that a person had severe myopia, and without glasses he could hardly see. Then a cataract developed, the lens was removed and replaced with an artificial lens. And since the lens can be picked up, the person simultaneously got rid of both cataracts and myopia.

Some advice for those who have undergone cataract surgery

When you return home after the operation, you can read, watch TV, do your usual activities without adhering to a special sparing regimen, but there are still some restrictions.

During the first two to three weeks:

• do not sleep on the side of the operated eye;
• do not rub the eye or press it;
• do not bend down to pick up something from the floor - better sit down;
• do not lift weights;
• do not drive a car until the eye is completely healed;
• use sunglasses when outdoors;
• women at this time are not recommended to perm and dye their hair.
• Certain restrictions after cataract surgery will have to be observed for life:
• you can not lift weights weighing more than 10 kilograms and move heavy objects;
• you can not engage in power sports, wrestling, diving, etc.;
• the operated eye should be protected from impacts and mechanical influences!

Cataract is a very common disease. Medical statistics show that out of 1000 people over 50, 33 have this disease, by the age of 70-80 - already 260, and older people over 80 almost all suffer from this disease.

So, many letters come to our editorial office in which readers ask to talk about cataracts. For detailed explanations on this topic, we turned to the ophthalmologist E.N. Vorobyova.

Develops imperceptibly

- Elena Nikolaevna, tell us what a cataract is?

When it comes to cataracts, people often think of a film that grows on the surface of the eye and impairs vision.

In fact, the "film" is located inside it, right behind the pupil. It is there that the lens is located, a “living” transparent lens, the main function of which is the refraction of light rays falling on the retina. Over the years, cloudy blotches appear in it, or “cataracts”, which means “waterfall” in Greek.

- What can cause confusion?

There are several types of cataracts that have a clear cause. For example, traumatic cataract. It is usually accompanied by other eye injuries. During radiation therapy, to which the lens is very sensitive, or other types of radiation, a radiation cataract develops. After surgery for glaucoma, a sharp decrease in intraocular pressure is possible, which also leads to clouding of the lens. These are rare types of disease, accounting for only one percent of the total number of patients with cataracts. The vast majority of patients suffer from "slow" cataracts, which are called age-related or senile. In this case, opacities develop over several years, while a person may not be aware that a “waterfall” is emerging in his eyes.

- Why does the transparency of the lens decrease in age-related cataracts?

The lens is a mirror that reflects the general state of the whole organism. Any health problems accumulate in it in the form of opacities, turning a transparent lens into dusty glass. The more problems, the thicker the layer of dust. For example, smoking, including passive smoking, has a detrimental effect on the entire eye, and nicotine serves as a poison for the lens. It causes the death of the transparent gel and its replacement with a cloudy substance. High blood pressure and elevated levels of sugar or cholesterol in the blood, "slagging" of the body interfere with the normal metabolic processes in the eye, and therefore make the lens starve. Therefore, the appearance of a "fly", cobweb or shiny threads in front of the eye is a reason to contact not only an ophthalmologist, but also a therapist to identify a non-"eye" cause of opacities.

For those over forty

How to recognize the disease?

The first symptoms of senile cataract appear after forty years. During this period, many people use glasses for near. With the development of the disease, near vision suddenly becomes sharper and the person begins to read without glasses.

After a short period of improvement, vision weakens again and is no longer corrected by glasses. When working close, more and more bright lighting is required. After a short reading, the letters begin to merge, and then the lines of text. There is a feeling of fogged glasses or a film on the eyes that you want to erase. Distant objects begin to be seen indistinctly, their outline is blurred, sometimes they double. When looking at car headlights, an electric light bulb or other light source, a halo appears around it.

Opacities in the lens change the color of the pupil. It becomes yellowish, and in the final stage of the disease - gray.

- What to do if a cataract is diagnosed?

First of all, you need to bring your weight, blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels back to normal. In the initial stages of the disease, vitamin and vasodilator preparations are used in the form of drops and tablets. Picamilon, phezam or cavinton are prescribed in monthly courses

4 times a year. During this period of time, taufon or emoxipin is instilled into the eye according to the following scheme: 2 drops 4 times in 15 minutes twice a day with a 12-hour interval. The remaining 8 months, the eye should receive vitamin drops "Katachrom" or "Quinax" 4 weeks in a row, followed by a two-week break. Simultaneously with them, the drug "Okuwait-lutein" is taken in a tablet

2 times a day for 3-4 months. Of the herbal remedies, the Ginkgo Biloba preparation, which has pronounced vasodilating properties, has proven itself well. It improves blood circulation in the eye area, thereby increasing visual acuity.

- Is it possible to cure cataracts only with the help of drops?

Unfortunately, it is impossible to restore transparency to the lens with their help, so they are used as an aid. This also applies to "grandmother's" funds, and industrial preparations. Since age-related cataract is a disease of the whole organism, medicines must not only be instilled into the eyes, but also taken orally. After all, the lens “feeds” not the conjunctiva, where drops fall, but the intraocular fluid, the composition of which determines the blood. If there are enough vitamins, microelements, protein and oxygen in the blood, then the lens will also receive enough substances that maintain its transparency.

- How to instill drops in order to avoid complications?

Incorrect instillation can cause discomfort in the eye area: a feeling of a foreign body, itching and tearing. This is due to an overdose of the drug, violation of the rules and regimen of instillation. Many patients act on the principle “the more the better”, without thinking that in addition to the medicinal substance, each drop contains stabilizers, preservatives and dyes that irritate the conjunctiva. As a result of constant overdose, chronic conjunctivitis may develop.

To avoid overdose and discomfort, it is necessary to pull the lower eyelid in its middle part with your finger and drip just one drop as many times a day as recommended by the doctor. After each instillation, it is good to make a lotion with infusion of green tea or calendula flowers for 10-15 minutes.

Opportunities for surgical treatment

When should a cataract be operated on?

The main indication for surgical treatment is not the degree of clouding of the lens, as it was before, but the state of vision in both eyes. If the maturation of the cataract is slow, but the person has difficulty doing his usual work due to the difference in visual acuity of the right and left eyes, then the operation is indicated, despite the immaturity of the cataract.

- What method of surgical treatment is preferable?

The ability to cope with cataracts quickly and painlessly gave a modern operation - phacoemulsification. It takes only 10 minutes and is performed almost on an outpatient basis. An ultrasonic probe is inserted through a micro-incision of the cornea, which looks more like a 2 mm puncture, which crushes the cloudy lens to a dusty state and “sucks” it out of the eye. A soft artificial lens rolled up into a tube is inserted into the vacated space using a special syringe. It unfolds itself inside the eye and is securely fixed. The corneal incision seals itself.

- How to behave in the postoperative period?

No special lifestyle restrictions are required. In most cases, the eye begins to see immediately after the operation. The maximum visual acuity is reached in a week. The patient at this time can read, watch TV, eat any food, sleep in any position. It is only necessary to protect the operated eye from excessive stress for two months, to avoid sharp head tilts and heavy lifting. If you experience discomfort from bright light in the first week, wearing sunglasses is recommended.

- What determines the success of the operation?

If the decrease in vision is caused only by a cataract, then the timely surgical removal of the cloudy lens allows the eye to “see clearly” in almost 100% of cases. But if other diseases are hidden behind the wall of the "waterfall" - glaucoma, retinal dystrophy or damage to the optic nerve, then visual acuity after the operation rises slightly.

- Can a cataract "pass" from one eye to another?

Age-related cataracts do not "pass" from one eye to the other. Opacities in the lens initially occur in both eyes, but they progress differently. As a rule, one lens becomes cloudy first, the second loses its transparency with an interval of several years. Nature, as it were, makes it possible for a person to restore sight in a badly seeing eye before the other goes blind. It is necessary to take advantage of this chance in a timely manner by having an operation in order to avoid complete blindness in old age.

About diet and folk remedies

- Is there a diet for this disease?

To prevent the appearance of opacities in the lens or stop their accumulation, it is necessary to adhere to a dairy-vegetarian diet. There should be a lot of greens in the diet. Spinach, parsley and celery in cataracts do not act as food, but as medicines. In the morning it is advisable to drink a mixture of carrot, apple and tomato juices, mixed in equal amounts. It is better to use honey instead of sugar. For lunch, you need vegetable soups and mashed potatoes with lamb, veal, chicken or fresh fish. It is better not to fry meat and fish, but to boil or bake in the oven and eat with green or onion salad. In the evening, cottage cheese, kefir, sour milk, fruits and vegetables will come in handy.

"Accomplices" of cataracts are spicy, smoked and canned foods. Salt, vinegar, marinades, and lens seasonings are "poisonous" substances. Instead of water during the day, it is better to drink a rosehip infusion or a decoction of elder flowers and eyebright. These funds remove toxins from the body - one of the causes of cataract development. To prepare a decoction, a tablespoon of each plant is poured with 2 cups of boiling water and kept on low heat for 5 minutes.

- What folk remedies can be used for cataracts?

Mumiyo, onion, aloe and honey have anti-sclerotic and resolving effects, therefore they are effective in the early stages of cataracts. In order for the “medicine” not to burn the conjunctiva, onion juice must be diluted with warm boiled water in a ratio of 1: 2, put it in a teaspoon and dissolve mumiyo crumbs the size of a rice grain in it. The agent is instilled drop by drop into each eye three times a day for 2 weeks. The course of treatment can be repeated every month. Drops from aloe juice and mumiyo have a similar effect. For their preparation, 5 g of mumiyo is dissolved in 100 ml of aloe juice. Before instillation, the composition is diluted with the same amount of boiled water and instilled into the eyes twice a day. Undiluted, this remedy can be taken orally in tsp. before breakfast and dinner for 10 days with a monthly break. It is better to take aloe no younger than 3 years old, and mumiyo should be purified. Good results in resorption of cataracts are given by the joint, but not simultaneous use of onion and honey drops. The onion must be grated, squeezed out the juice and diluted with boiled water in a ratio of 1:2. Drop a drop of freshly prepared diluted juice into each eye. An hour later, honey drops are dripped. For their preparation, it is necessary to dilute honey with propolis with boiled water in a ratio of 1: 1. Onion-honey treatment is carried out 3 times a day for a month with weekly breaks.

- How to prevent the development of cataracts?

The best and most affordable prevention of cataract development, like many other diseases, is a healthy lifestyle. It is not difficult to provide the lens with everything you need if you constantly monitor your well-being.

It is not necessary to run in the morning, you can just walk whenever possible. A daily portion of fresh cabbage or carrot salad will provide the body with a sufficient amount of vitamins, and a tablespoon of seaweed will provide microelements. Even a ten-minute exercise in between work will improve blood circulation, which means it will enable the lens to get rid of accumulated toxins. In addition, after the age of 40, it is necessary to undergo an annual preventive examination, which includes checking visual acuity, measuring intraocular pressure, examining visual fields and color perception. All this makes it possible to detect eye diseases in the early stages and prevent blindness in old age.

Interviewed by Olga Kotovskaya