Cataracts – easily treated and not to be feared
Cataract removal surgery is the most common of all procedures on the human body and has an extremely high success rate.
Optometrist Davor Jadrijevic works at Vision Optometrists in Cresta Shopping Centre and hopes to reassure people who might need cataract surgery.
“Cataract surgery is the most common procedure performed on the human body. It is extremely safe and has a very high success rate. An easy and fast procedure removes the cloudy lens from the eye restoring sight.”
He said even in cases where help was not sought or available quickly after diagnosis, the benefits of treatment remained very good.
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“Eyes will be done separately if both are affected but aftercare is relatively easy and vision should be restored. An eye patch may need to be worn after surgery for a short time.”
Louise van der Schyf, client liaison officer at Visiomed Eye and Laser Clinic in Northcliff, said the condition presented itself as a clouding of the lens inside the eye.
“An eye with cataracts will see the world as if it was looking through a misty bathroom window or cloud, with bright lights and low lighting like in the evening becoming a problem. A healthy eye is transparent like a clean and clear window.”
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She said the most common reason for cataracts forming was normal ageing which sees the ability of the eye to see lessen over time. “When your vision starts to change, it is time to see an optometrist who can screen your eyes for any problems and refer you to a specialist if needed to treat your condition. In the case of cataracts, the solution is easy and recovery is relatively quick.”
In its early stages, it is not possible to see a cataract or abnormality when looking at the eye yourself, but an optometrist will be able to detect any early signs of vision abnormality. It is only without treatment and when the cataract is severe that it might be seen by others but that is rare.
Symptoms of cataracts could be:
- Vision becomes blurred
- Colour definition fades
- Double vision
- Night vision decreases
- White objects appear yellow
- Light seems scattered.
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