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Are You At Risk for Cataract?
| CONTENT LIST What is a
cataract? What causes it? When are you most likely
to have a cataract? What are its
symptoms? How is a cataract
detected? How is a cataract
treated? When should a cataract be
treated? | Looking for more exclusive Biotech Information? |  | In addition to our free knowledge base, BiotechWatch provides the following additional services: - Premium Database, for in-depth coverage of biotechnology companies in the sector, giving the user the ability to search and sort based on more than twenty parameters.
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What research is being
done? What can you do to protect
your vision? |
A cataract is a clouding of the eye's lens that
causes loss of vision. This brochure is about
age-related cataract, the most common type.
The lens lies behind the iris and the pupil (see
diagram). It works much like a camera lens. It
focuses light onto the retina at the back of the eye,
where an image is recorded. The lens also adjusts the
eye's focus, letting us see things clearly both up
close and far away. The lens is made of mostly water and protein. The
protein is arranged in a precise way that keeps the
lens clear and lets light pass through it. But as we age, some of the protein may clump
together and start to cloud a small area of the lens.
This is a cataract. Over time, the cataract may grow
larger and cloud more of the lens, making it harder
to see. Researchers suspect that there are several causes
of cataract, such as smoking and diabetes. Or, it may
be that the protein in the lens just changes from the
wear and tear it takes over the years. | TOP | Looking for more exclusive Biotech Information? | | In addition to our free knowledge base, BiotechWatch provides the following additional services: - Premium Database, for in-depth coverage of biotechnology companies in the sector, giving the user the ability to search and sort based on more than twenty parameters.
- TrialView Database, which offers disease-specific and biotechnology sector-wide clinical trial information.
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The term "age-related" is a little misleading. You
don't have to be a senior citizen to get this type of
cataract. In fact, people can have an age-related
cataract in their 40s and 50s. But during middle age,
most cataracts are small and do not affect vision. It
is after age 60 that most cataracts steal vision. | TOP |
A cataract starts out small. It has
little effect on vision at first. You may notice that
your vision is blurred a little, like looking through
a cloudy piece of glass. A cataract may make light from the sun or a lamp
seem too bright, causing a glare. Or, you may notice
when you drive at night that the oncoming headlights
cause more glare than before. Also, colors may not
appear as bright to you as they once did. As the cataract gets bigger and clouds more of the
lens (doctors use the term, "ripens"), you will find
it harder to read and do other normal tasks. The word
"cataract" means waterfall. For people with a ripe
cataract, it is like trying to see through a
waterfall. | TOP |
Although you might think you have a cataract, the
only way to know for sure is by having an eye
examination. Should your eye care professional find
one, he or she can monitor it and advise you about
any future treatment. | TOP | Looking for more exclusive Biotech Information? | | In addition to our free knowledge base, BiotechWatch provides the following additional services: - Premium Database, for in-depth coverage of biotechnology companies in the sector, giving the user the ability to search and sort based on more than twenty parameters.
- TrialView Database, which offers disease-specific and biotechnology sector-wide clinical trial information.
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It is treated with surgery. Your eye care
professional will remove your clouded lens and, in
most cases, replace it with a clear, plastic lens.
Cataract surgery is very successful in restoring
vision. In fact, it is one of the most common
surgeries performed in the United States, with over
1.5 million cataract surgeries done each year. | TOP |
If your eye care professional finds a cataract,
you may not need cataract surgery for several years.
In fact, you might never need cataract surgery. By
having your vision tested regularly, you and your eye
care professional can discuss if and when you might
need treatment. | TOP |
The National Eye Institute (NEI), one of the
Federal government's National Institutes of Health,
supports research on the lens and age-related
cataract. Most of these studies focus on controlling
cataract with drugs so that surgery will not be
needed. Although these drugs are not yet available to
patients, research is moving forward in this area.
The NEI is also evaluating whether certain vitamins
and minerals might prevent or slow the progress of
cataract. We should know more about whether this
treatment works in the coming years. | TOP |
If you are over age 60, you should have
an eye examination at least once every two years.
This exam should include dilating your pupils. This
means drops are put into your eyes to enlarge your
pupils. Although a cataract can be detected without
dilated pupils, your eye care professional can see
the back of your eye better using this exam. Getting
a good view of the retina and optic nerve is
important in detecting eye diseases such as glaucoma
and macular degeneration. To learn more about cataract write: National Eye
Health Education Program, 2020 Vision Place,
Bethesda, MD 20892-3655. | Looking for more exclusive Biotech Information? | | In addition to our free knowledge base, BiotechWatch provides the following additional services: - Premium Database, for in-depth coverage of biotechnology companies in the sector, giving the user the ability to search and sort based on more than twenty parameters.
- TrialView Database, which offers disease-specific and biotechnology sector-wide clinical trial information.
- Make your View Count - at BiotechWatch's You Too Can Be An Analyst. Vote on the success of upcoming biotech events.
- Visit the Biotech Forum, where you can exchange ideas and generate new biotech investments.
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National Eye Institute
National Institutes of Health
NIH Publication No. 94-3463 |
June 2001 |
