The WHO/NPCB (National Programme for Control of Blindness) survey has shown that there is a backlog of over 22 million blind eyes (12 million blind people) in India, and 80.1% of these are blind due to cataract. The annual incidence of cataract blindness is about 3.8 million.
Etiology of cataract
- Senile
- Congenital
- Systemic diseases: Diabetes Mellitus, Galactosaemia, Hypoparathyroidism etc
- Trauma
- Drug: Steroid
- Toxic agents: Copper, Cigarette smoking etc
- Complicated cataract: (Cataract due other ocular disease ) Iridocyclitis, Retinitis pigmentosa etc
- Radiation
- Electric shock
Symptoms
- Blurring of vision/ diminution of vision
- White or grayish opacity
- Frequent changes of glass
- Difficulty in bright light
- Difficulty in night vision
- Coloured haloes
- Glare
- Loss of contrast sensitivity
- Myopic shift( increase of minus power in aged person)
Treatment
There is no medical treatment for cataract. Though, surgery (Cataract extraction & Intraocular lens implantation) is the only treatment, but in initial stages, refraction and adjustment of illumination helps.
Types of Surgery
Phacoemulsification with foldable IOL ( Intra Ocular Lens) implantation is the choice of surgery. Manual small incision cataract surgery is also very popular surgery in India .
Laser Cataract Surgery: Femtosecond Laser is used to perform few steps of surgery in phacoemulsification.
MICS ( Micro phaco): Microincision cataract surgery (MICS) is an approach to cataract surgery through incision less than 1.8 mm with the purpose of reducing surgical invasiveness, improving at the same time surgical outcomes. Patients become fit for taking a bath and join in work within 2 days.
Multifocal and Trifocal Lens : No need for spectacle after surgery. You can see the distance and near simultaneously with your naked eyes. It is very much helpful for computer workers, housewives, and those who have to read or write for prolonged time .
EDOF Lens : Specially designed to enhance the intermediate vision for some specic needs.
Toric Lens : Only for astigmatism. Without this type of lens, it is impossible to restore complte vision for patients who have cylindrical power.
Hydrophobic Lens: These lenses are manufactured by newer generation molecules . There are fewer chances to get posterior capsular opacification with this type of lenalses
Nd YAG Laser capsuletomy : With this technique, the posterior capsular opacification behind Lens can be completely cleared . The patient gets back clear vision again.
Upgraded Biometry : For perfect IOL power. This is the heart of cataract investigations.