What are Cataracts?
Cataracts are one of the most common eye conditions in the country. With age, it is expected that a cataract may develop at some point in the crystalline lens of the eye.
The Crystalline Lens
In the eye, the crystalline lens sits behind the iris which is the colored portion of the eye.
The crystalline lens is responsible for assisting in the focusing of light onto the retina. The cornea, which is the front of the eye, provides much of the focusing and the crystalline lens is responsible for the remaining focusing.
The crystalline lens is also the structure in the eye that assists with flexing the focusing system to look at near objects.
As the crystalline lens changes its shape, it can adjust how powerful the lens is and allow the eyes to focus on a near object.
Aging Effects on the Lens
With age, there can be build up of materials in the crystalline lens. The lens does not have any blood supply or way to dispose of waste build up.
Because the lens cannot remove its own waste, it can sometimes build up in large quantities inside of the lens.
With age, the processes of breaking down the wastes becomes less efficient and effective leading to an increase in the amount and rate of the waste in the lens.
The lens will also become less flexible or become more rigid. This rigidity is responsible for the decrease in near vision with age.
Types of Cataracts
There are three main types of cataracts: nuclear sclerotic cataracts, cortical cataracts, and posterior subcapsular cataracts.
Each type of cataract is associated with material build up in a different part of the crystalline lens and can affect the eyes in different ways.
Nuclear Sclerotic Cataracts
Nuclear sclerotic cataracts are the most common type of cataract. These cataracts are usually associated solely with aging changes and the material build up in the crystalline lens.
The material will accumulate in the center of the lens called the nucleus. This makes the crystalline lens slightly yellow and decrease vision due to the slight cloudiness.
Vision is often decreased uniformly like looking through a dirty window.
Cortical Cataracts
Cortical cataracts are the second most common type of cataracts and are also associated with normal aging.
The cataracts form in the outer portion of the crystalline lens called the cortex. Since the opacity is typically in the outer portion of the vision, early cortical cataracts do not usually impact the vision.
However, if the cortical cataracts grow into the center of the lens, it can cause severely decreased vision.
These cataracts can be associated with diabetes or other systemic conditions.
Posterior Subcapsular Cataracts
The third most common, but most severe in terms of visual impact, type of cataract is a posterior subcapsular cataract.
These cataracts develop on the back of the crystalline lens on the capsule of the lens.
Posterior subcapsular cataracts are usually central and can be very dense. Since the cataract is centrally located, it can decrease vision very quickly.
These cataracts can be associated with long term steroid use, diabetes, or other systemic health conditions.
Cataract Surgery
The treatment for cataracts is a surgical procedure to remove the crystalline lens and replace it with an artificial lens.
The cataract extraction surgery is performed many times globally every day and is considered among the safest surgeries.
If you have a cataract and need to have surgery, your optometrist can make a referral to a cataract surgeon to have a consultation before having the procedure performed.
Our eye doctors at GHEye excel in prescription of glasses, contact lenses and the diagnosis of a variety of eye diseases. Call our optometrists at (571) 445-3692 to schedule your appointment today if you want to learn more about or be checked for cataracts. Our eye doctors, Dr. Ally Stoeger and Dr. Jennifer Sun provide the highest quality optometry services and eye exams in the Gainesville VA and Haymarket VA areas.
Cataracts are one of the most common eye conditions in the country. With age, it is expected that a cataract may develop at some point in the crystalline lens of the eye.
The Crystalline Lens
In the eye, the crystalline lens sits behind the iris which is the colored portion of the eye.
The crystalline lens is responsible for assisting in the focusing of light onto the retina. The cornea, which is the front of the eye, provides much of the focusing and the crystalline lens is responsible for the remaining focusing.
The crystalline lens is also the structure in the eye that assists with flexing the focusing system to look at near objects.
As the crystalline lens changes its shape, it can adjust how powerful the lens is and allow the eyes to focus on a near object.
Aging Effects on the Lens
With age, there can be build up of materials in the crystalline lens. The lens does not have any blood supply or way to dispose of waste build up.
Because the lens cannot remove its own waste, it can sometimes build up in large quantities inside of the lens.
With age, the processes of breaking down the wastes becomes less efficient and effective leading to an increase in the amount and rate of the waste in the lens.
The lens will also become less flexible or become more rigid. This rigidity is responsible for the decrease in near vision with age.
Types of Cataracts
There are three main types of cataracts: nuclear sclerotic cataracts, cortical cataracts, and posterior subcapsular cataracts.
Each type of cataract is associated with material build up in a different part of the crystalline lens and can affect the eyes in different ways.
Nuclear Sclerotic Cataracts
Nuclear sclerotic cataracts are the most common type of cataract. These cataracts are usually associated solely with aging changes and the material build up in the crystalline lens.
The material will accumulate in the center of the lens called the nucleus. This makes the crystalline lens slightly yellow and decrease vision due to the slight cloudiness.
Vision is often decreased uniformly like looking through a dirty window.
Cortical Cataracts
Cortical cataracts are the second most common type of cataracts and are also associated with normal aging.
The cataracts form in the outer portion of the crystalline lens called the cortex. Since the opacity is typically in the outer portion of the vision, early cortical cataracts do not usually impact the vision.
However, if the cortical cataracts grow into the center of the lens, it can cause severely decreased vision.
These cataracts can be associated with diabetes or other systemic conditions.
Posterior Subcapsular Cataracts
The third most common, but most severe in terms of visual impact, type of cataract is a posterior subcapsular cataract.
These cataracts develop on the back of the crystalline lens on the capsule of the lens.
Posterior subcapsular cataracts are usually central and can be very dense. Since the cataract is centrally located, it can decrease vision very quickly.
These cataracts can be associated with long term steroid use, diabetes, or other systemic health conditions.
Cataract Surgery
The treatment for cataracts is a surgical procedure to remove the crystalline lens and replace it with an artificial lens.
The cataract extraction surgery is performed many times globally every day and is considered among the safest surgeries.
If you have a cataract and need to have surgery, your optometrist can make a referral to a cataract surgeon to have a consultation before having the procedure performed.