Cataracts
| Cataract Statistics in Australia | Side Effects And Complications |
| Causes | Effects Of Cataract Surgery On Society Today |
| Symptoms | References |
| Methods Of Surgery |
A cataract is the clouding of the lens in the eye. The cataract is the reducing and refracting of the light that goes into the eye, lessening vision. It makes the world appear as through a frosted window.
without a cataract with a cataract
Prevelance statistics about Cataracts: The following statistics relate to the prevalence of Cataracts:
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58 per 1000 with cataracts (NHIS95) |
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2.0% of population self-reported having a cataract in Australia 2001 (ABS 2001 National Health Survey, Australia’s Health 2004, AIHW) |
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1.5% of male population self-reported having a cataract in Australia 2001 (ABS 2001 National Health Survey, Australia’s Health 2004, AIHW) |
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2.4% of female population self-reported having a cataract in Australia 2001 (ABS 2001 National Health Survey, Australia’s Health 2004, AIHW) |
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361,000 people self-reported having a cataract in Australia 2001 (ABS 2001 National Health Survey, Australia’s Health 2004, AIHW) |
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239,000 women self-reported having a cataract in Australia 2001 (ABS 2001 National Health Survey, Australia’s Health 2004, AIHW) |
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122,000 men self-reported having a cataract in Australia 2001 (ABS 2001 National Health Survey, Australia’s Health 2004, AIHW) |
[http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/c/cataracts/stats.htm]
Cataracts are mainly due to the development of age, in fact by the age of 60 about half of the population will have some signs of cataract formation, though it may be minor and not noticeable, and by 70 almost everyone will have some cataract formation. Other factors can affect the likelihood and severity of cataracts though, such as:
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family history |
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medical conditions such as diabetes |
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injury to the eye |
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medications such as steroids |
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various chronic eye diseases |
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long-term, unprotected exposure to sunlight. |
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trauma |
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previous inflammation |
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previous eye surgery |
Common symptoms include:
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a painless blurring of vision |
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glare or light sensitivity |
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frequent spectacle prescription changes |
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double vision in one eye |
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needing brighter light to read |
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fading or yellowing of colours |
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poor night vision |
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as the cataract worsens, halos around lights |
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Phacoemulsification |
This is the most common method used. A small cut of about 3mm is made at the meeting of the sclera and the cornea, that's where the clear bit and the white bit of the eye meets. A probe is then placed in there, which vibrates enough to split the cloudy lens into tiny pieces. These pieces are then suctioned away and an artificial lens is placed in the lens capsule. The whole operation takes from 20 to 60 minutes.
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Extracapsular Extraction |
This method is not used as commonly as the phacoemulsification, but it is used when the lens is too hard to use phacoemulsification on. A incision of 10mm to 12mm is made between the sclera and the cornea. The front of the capsule is opened. The lens is then removed and replaced with an artificial one. The cut is then closed with sutures.
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Intracapsular Extraction |
This is where the entire lens and capsule is removed. It is not performed
very often anymore and then only in special cases.
Side Effects And Complications
Some side effects may be:
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an irritated or sticky eye |
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blurry vision |
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aching of the eye for 1-2 weeks after the operation |
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bruising of the eyelid or eye |
95% of cataract surgery is successful, but if the patient happens to be in the 5% that is not, they may suffer from:
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tearing of the structure behind the lens, which may result in damaged vision |
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loss of the cataract in the back of the eye, requiring another operation; or |
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clouding of the lens capsule, which begins about 2 years after the operation and can be fixed by relatively simple laser surgery. |
Effects Of Cataract Surgery On Society Today
The swiftness and ease of this operation means that vision in Australia can rise to the best standards. People can be restored to full vision and functioning within a few days. The recovery period has been lessened to the minimum, meaning a few days rest after 1hr surgery and you can have full eyesight back.
http://iris.medoph.unimelb.edu.au/new/eyecare/cataract.html
http://hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/html/cataractsurgery.html
http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/c/cataracts/stats.htm
This page created by Merrilyn Sackett.
