Cataract surgery

In the United States, cataract surgery is widely available. Cataracts mostly affects seniors. Even though the surgery is common with little risk of side-effects, some patients want to hold off on the surgery or avoid it completely. Preliminary research on certain eye drops designed to address cataracts may offer hope to these patients.

Cataracts is a clouding of the lens of the eye. It is caused by oxidative damage from ultraviolet light (UV) exposure over time. Initial symptoms include blurred, clouded
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A study slated to appear in the peer-reviewed American Journal of Ophthalmology found that cataract surgery does not appear to worsen pre-existing wet AMD (age-related macular degeneration). However, cataracts surgery appears to slightly change the anatomy of the eye, which might make AMD patients more susceptible to cystoid macular edema (a side effect of cataracts surgery) and choroidal neovascularization.

Cataract surgery is a common surgery, with a very high success rate and low side effects. Replacing the clouded lens with an artificial intraocular lens (IOL) allows more light to reach the retina, which significantly improves vision in cataracts patients. Cataracts frequently appear in the eyes of individuals as they age.
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People in developing countries can face huge hurdles getting cataracts correctly diagnosed and treated. A new smartphone app called “Vula” helps diagnose cataracts using a photograph. A routine and very short cataract surgery can then be scheduled. This app is helping overcome barriers to treating this very common source of vision impairment and blindness.

Cataracts are a film that form on the lens of the
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With cataracts affecting nearly 22 million Americans, it’s not surprising that most of us know people who have had cataract surgery. We may even be contemplating cataract surgery for ourselves. Since cataracts are almost never a medical emergency, you should feel entirely comfortable taking the time to learn more about cataracts and explore all your options.

What is a Cataract?

A cataract is simply a spot on the lens of the eye that you cannot readily see through. These spots are made up of clumps of normal eye protein and generally form slowly over time. Although most cataracts are related to aging, it is also possible for cataracts
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The Blue Mountains Eye Study looked at 354 people over aged 48 who had visual impairment from cataracts.  Some had already had cataracts surgery to replace the clouded cataract(s) and restore vision, and some got the surgery during the study. Within the group were controls who had visual impairment from cataracts and did not have the surgery. The researchers followed the patients for 15 years.

After adjusting for gender and age, the data showed a significant increase in longevity for the patients who had the surgery. This result persisted even after adjusting for tobacco use, BMI, certain heart problems, mobility, and certain major diseases that impact longevity. Accounting for the number of medications the patients were taking and using objective measures of frailty still showed the surgery had significant impact on life span.
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