Eye cataracts can be effectively treated

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 261, 1 November 1988, Page 13

Eye cataracts can be effectively treated

Cataract is an opacity or cloudiness of the lens in the eye and can affect vision by dispersing and cutting down the amount of light Teaching the back of the eye.

What and Where is the Lens? It is a small clear lens about a quarter of an inch in diameter that is suspended inside the eyeball, just behind the pupil. Therefore, a

cataract is well inside the eye and is not a skin growth on the outside. Who is likely to be affected by Cataract? Cataract is traditionally

a disorder of the elderly. Minor degrees of cataract are relatively common over the age of 65 and certainly not all of these proceed to the point where treatment of them is necessary or desirable. How is Cataract Detected? Usually during the routine examination of your eyes b y your family doctor, optometrist, or oph-

thalmologist. Sometimes, however, if they become dense they are obvious to anybody as a pearly-white opacity in the centre of the pupil. Will a Cataract Cause Blindness? Not all cataracts produce blindness but if they progress and become mature the result will be a total loss in the affected eye. Can Vision be Restored? Yes. Vision can be restored by surgically removing the opaque lens. However, since some cataracts remain unchanged for years and others are known to take 15 to 20 years to develop, surgical treatment is often unnecessary. What is the best time to have a cataract opefation? Generally speaking cataract surgery is undertaken when vision of the better eye has failed to the extent that you find difficulty in doing things you need to do in your daily life. Seldom does age or infirmity delay this operation.When you have been told you have a cataract developing

have your eyes examined regularly. As the cataract develops, it becomes more and more difficult for the surgeon to see the back of your eye, and really successful results from surgery depend largely upon your eye being free from other disorders. What happens after the cataract operation? After the eye has healed special spectacles or sometimes contact lenses must b e worn to obtain clear vision. These glasses take a little getting use to initially, but it is usual for good vision to be attained. How can cataracts be prevented? There is no known way of prevent-

ing cataracts. They are, by and large, changes in the lens due to age. If, however, they are associated with another disease, such as diabetes, this of course must be adequately treated. Giving u p reading, sewing, handiwork or watching

television will not delay these changes. Surgical treatment can overcome blindness caused by a cataract. This information is endorsed by the Department of Health, and the New Zealand Optometrical Association.