Cataract

There are mainly three types of Cataract:

• Subcapsular Cataract which begins at the back of the lens. People with diabetes, high nearsightedness, retinitis pigmentosa or those taking high doses of steroids may develop a subcapsular cataract.
• Nuclear Cataract which forms in the nucleus, the center of the lens, and is due to natural aging changes and in those suffering high myopia.
• Cortical Cataract which forms in the lens cortex, gradually extends its spokes from the peripheral of the lens to the center. Many diabetics develop cortical cataracts.

The lens of our eyes are found behind the iris and the pupil. It works much like the lens of the camera – it focuses light into the retina where the image is recorded. The lenses are also responsible for adjusting the eye’s focus so we can see clearly for both near and far objects.

The lens is mostly made up of water and protein. The protein is positioned in such a way that the light can perfectly pass through so we can see clearly. Through the years, some of the protein may mass up and start to cloud some area of the lens, which overtime may grow larger and cover more of the lens, clouding up the vision.

Cataracts can either be congenital or developed at a later age.

• Acquired Cataracts: There are several factors that can cause acquired cataracts. Exposure to ultraviolet radiation, diabetes, hypertension, obesity and smoking among other things can all contribute to the formation of cataracts. For people under the age of 40, trauma to the eye is the most common cause of this. Secondary causes include chronic inflammation, some types of glaucoma and extreme nearsightedness.
• Congenital Cataracts: Though people being born with cataracts are possible, these cases are quite rare. About one-third of congenital cataract cases are hereditary.