grandiose Cataracts in Brazil

Cataracts is the clouding of the eye's natural lens. The lens lies behind the iris and the pupil. When a person has cataracts, they may have difficulty seeing. Cataracts affect vision by scattering incoming light.

The lens is positioned near the front of the eyeball. It is protected by the cornea, which covers the front of the eyeball. The purpose of the lens is to focus the light waves that enter the eye. Muscles around the lens can change the shape of the lens. In this way, objects both close at hand and far away can be brought into focus.

There are many misconceptions about cataracts. For instance, cataracts do not spread from eye to eye, though they may develop in both eyes at the same time. A cataract is not a film visible on the outside of the eye, is not caused from overuse of the eyes, and using the eye does not make it worse. Cataracts usually develop gradually over many years; rarely over a few months. Finally, cataracts are not related to cancer, and having a cataract does not mean a patient will be permanently blind.

Causes

• Aging
• Congenital disorders
• Genetic abnormalities
• Traumatic cataracts
• Complicated cataracts
• Glaucoma

Other causes of cataract are stress and strain; excessive intake of alcoholic drinks, sugar, and salt; smoking; certain physical ailments such as gastro-intestinal or gall-bladder disturbances; diabetes; vitamin deficiencies; fatty acid intolerance; ageing; radiation; side-effects of drugs that have been prescribed for other diseases.

Signs and Symptoms

The earliest signs of cataracts may mimic other eye conditions including macular degeneration. Many patients will notice they have more trouble seeing unless they use more intense lighting. Still others will notice they have difficulty pointing out finite details when reading or working.

There are several common symptoms of cataracts:

• gradual, painless onset of blurry, filmy, or fuzzy vision
• poor central vision
• frequent changes in eyeglass prescription
• changes in color vision

Detection of Cataract

The presence of a cataract can be spotted with the help of a complete eye examination by an ophthalmologist who may as well discover any other conditions that may be responsible for haziness of vision or other difficulties pertaining to the eyes.

Till date, no medication or diet has proved effective in checking the development of cataracts, and there is no medicine that can rectify a clouded lens.

The cataract operation

In the past, surgeons often waited until vision was very poor before removing the cataract. Now, the operation is usually carried out as soon as eyesight interferes with everyday activities.

Before the operation, a pre-operative assessment is done by the eye team. Usually a local anaesthetic is given before the operation, so the patient will be awake but feel nothing in the eye. The eye specialist will tell the patient what is happening throughout the procedure, and the patient will be made to feel relaxed and comfortable.

Cataract surgery is very successful in restoring vision. In fact, it is the most frequently performed surgery in the United States, with over 1.5 million cataract surgeries done each year. Nine out of 10 people who have cataract surgery regain very good vision, somewhere between 20/20 and 20/40.

The term cataracts refers to a clouding of the eye's lens that is located behind the iris and pupil. This particular lens operates by focusing light on to the retina, much in the same way as a camera lens. The lens affected by cataracts is also involved in the eye's focus.

This lens consists of protein and water. This protein is precisely arranged for optimum functioning. However, during the natural aging process, these proteins can become clumped together and cause the eye to cloud. This cloud is what is known as a cataract and will most likely get larger as time progresses if left untreated. Your eye doctor will probably want to wait until the cataract interferes with your eyesight before opting to remove it.

There are three different types of cataracts you should know about:

Cortical Cataracts: This type of cataract is formed in the cortex of the lens. Over time, a cortical cataract will extend from the outside of the lens to the center. This type of cataract is common to diabetes sufferers.

Nuclear Cataracts: Nuclear cataracts are the most common type of cataracts. Forming in the center of the lens, this type of cataract is caused by the normal aging process. When this cataract first forms, you may even experience improved vision. However, this effect will not last long.

Subcapsular Cataracts: This kind of cataract starts at the back of the lens. If you take steroids, have diabetes, or suffer from farsightedness, you may be susceptible to supcapsular cataracts.

Fortunately, all three types of cataracts can be removed with eye surgery. Today's surgeons implement the use of lasers and other innovative technology to remove a patient's cataracts with a minimum of risk or discomfort. Some cataract surgeries will involve removing the clouded lens and replacing it with a clear plastic lens called an intraocular lens.

While cataract removal surgery is relatively safe, you may experience a few side effects such as swelling, bleeding or discomfort. Your eye doctor will advise you on the steps to take during recovery to aid proper healing.

Nutritionists are currently studying the role diet plays in the prevention of cataracts. Research has shown a favorable link between antioxidants and the prevention of cataracts. Antioxidants are vitamins such as Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Vitamin E that work to fight harmful free radicals in the body.

People don't generally worry about cataracts until they develop them. But in truth, cataracts are serious business. Ignoring care against such could result in the loss of vision. In the United States, cataract operations are among the most common surgeries performed with over 1.5 million performed every year.

A cataract is any opacity which develops in the crystalline lens of the eye or in its envelope. This impairs sight by blocking the light that goes through them. They may be hard to spot since they are painless and are unaccompanied by inflammation.

Cataracts form for a variety of reasons like long term ultraviolet exposure, secondary effects of diseases such as diabetes, or simply due to advanced age. Cataracts are usually a result of the denaturation of lens proteins.

Genetic factors are often a cause of congenital cataracts and may also play a role in predisposing someone to cataracts. People over 70 often have some cataract formation. Fully half of all people between the ages of 65 and 74 and about 70% of those over 75 have some cataract formation.
This type of cataract is called senile cataract. This is the most common type of cataract around.

Cataracts can also be caused by eye injury or physical trauma. Physical trauma may puncture the lens capsule. Subsequently, the lens become opaque and light cannot pass through the lens anymore.

In the early days cataracts were removed through a technique called couching. Couching involves using a thin needle or stick to remove the clouding in the lens.

Couching was practiced during the Roman times and, surprisingly enough, is still used in some of the underprivileged countries in the world today.
Fortunately, with the advent of modern medicine, better and more effective methods are now employed.

The most common and effective treatment for cataracts is surgery to remove the cloudy lens. Two types of surgery to remove cataracts exist, extra-capsular and intra-capsular surgery. Extra-capsular surgery removes the lens, but leaves the majority of the lens capsule intact.
Intra-capsular surgery removes the entire lens of the eye along with the lens capsule. This, however, is rarely performed in today's medical practice.

The lens is then replaced with a plastic lens which remains permanently in the eye. Such an implant may be the best treatment for senile cataracts.
Operation for such is not that risky. The operation is performed under a local anesthetic. The patient is usually discharged later the same day. Most patients report an increase in the quality in their vision after operations.

However, early diagnosis is crucial in treating cataracts. If not caught early, cataracts may advance to a stage where even surgery might not be a satisfactory type of treatment.

Doctors assess cataract cases and suggest surgery only when the cataract has reached a stage where it is said to be ripe, or mature. This is when the fluid of the lens is absorbed and the lens is separated from the lens capsule.

There are, however, alternatives to operation. Some doctors recommend the use of special eyeglasses or contact lens. Surgery however, is the last resort, and the only resort available to those suffering from senile cataracts.

Proper eye care is often neglected by most people. But contrary to this line of thinking, the eyes are a very precious and delicate organ. Proper care for such will reap rewards especially as one ages.

Cataracts is the clouding of the eye's natural lens. The lens lies behind the iris and the pupil. When a person has cataracts, they may have difficulty seeing. Cataracts affect vision by scattering incoming light.
The lens is positioned near the front of the eyeball. It is protected by the cornea, which covers the front of the eyeball. The purpose of the lens is to focus the light waves that enter the eye. Muscles around the lens can change the shape of the lens. In this way, objects both close at hand and far away can be brought into focus.

There are many misconceptions about cataracts. For instance, cataracts do not spread from eye to eye, though they may develop in both eyes at the same time. A cataract is not a film visible on the outside of the eye, is not caused from overuse of the eyes, and using the eye does not make it worse. Cataracts usually develop gradually over many years; rarely over a few months. Finally, cataracts are not related to cancer, and having a cataract does not mean a patient will be permanently blind.

Causes

· Aging
· Congenital disorders
· Genetic abnormalities
· Traumatic cataracts
· Complicated cataracts
· Glaucoma

Other causes of cataract are stress and strain; excessive intake of alcoholic drinks, sugar, and salt; smoking; certain physical ailments such as gastro-intestinal or gall-bladder disturbances; diabetes; vitamin deficiencies; fatty acid intolerance; ageing; radiation; side-effects of drugs that have been prescribed for other diseases.

Signs and Symptoms

The earliest signs of cataracts may mimic other eye conditions including macular degeneration. Many patients will notice they have more trouble seeing unless they use more intense lighting. Still others will notice they have difficulty pointing out finite details when reading or working.

There are several common symptoms of cataracts:

· gradual, painless onset of blurry, filmy, or fuzzy vision
· poor central vision
· frequent changes in eyeglass prescription
· changes in color vision

Detection of Cataract

The presence of a cataract can be spotted with the help of a complete eye examination by an ophthalmologist who may as well discover any other conditions that may be responsible for haziness of vision or other difficulties pertaining to the eyes.
Till date, no medication or diet has proved effective in checking the development of cataracts, and there is no medicine that can rectify a clouded lens.

The cataract operation

In the past, surgeons often waited until vision was very poor before removing the cataract. Now, the operation is usually carried out as soon as eyesight interferes with everyday activities.

Before the operation, a pre-operative assessment is done by the eye team. Usually a local anaesthetic is given before the operation, so the patient will be awake but feel nothing in the eye. The eye specialist will tell the patient what is happening throughout the procedure, and the patient will be made to feel relaxed and comfortable.

Cataract surgery is very successful in restoring vision. In fact, it is the most frequently performed surgery in the United States, with over 1.5 million cataract surgeries done each year. Nine out of 10 people who have cataract surgery regain very good vision, somewhere between 20/20 and 20/40.

A solid cat eye care program includes understanding the impact of some cat eye disorders on your cat's eyesight. Cataract problems are relatively rare in cats and are usually related to complications from diabetes. Some breeds inherit a tendency for developing cataracts: Birmans, Himalayans, Persians and British Shorthairs. The incidence is low and the cataract tends to remain small, often small enough to be ignored.

Of those cataracts that do cause or threaten blindness, many are treated with surgery. If blindness does result from an inoperable cataract, your feline should live a safe life if she is kept indoors. The cataract itself is not painful.

Recognizing Problems

It pays to catch the problem early. A long-term cataract is denser and harder to remove with longer surgeries tending to involve more complications. A cat owner should suspect a problem and seek veterinary attention whenever the eye appears different than it usually does.

Don't just think your cat's eyes are getting older when you notice a distinct disparity in eye clarity, increased opacity, cloudiness or a change in pupil size. These changes indicate a real problem.

Causes

Diabetes is the most common cause of cataracts in cats. The second most common cause is an inflammatory disease, like uveitis. You can readily recognize the signs of uveitis: the eye color changes, the surface of the eye is roughened and the pupil becomes smaller. This condition is painful to your cat. He may squint, have watery eyes, and eyelid spasms.

The most common causes of uveitis are the feline leukemia virus, feline infectious peritonitis, toxoplasmosis, or feline immunodeficiency virus. Early treatment of the cause can prevent a cataract or minimize the effect of one that has already formed.

Another cause of cataracts is an eye trauma. If your cat's eye is punctured in a cat fight or other incident and the outer layer of the lens is damaged, your veterinarian may talk with you about removing the lens. This is because damaged lenses tend to develop cancer in cats. Removing the lens negates the chance of cancer.

Treatment

Cataracts that go untreated can lead to glaucoma, which is a painful disease. If your cat's eyes look cloudy, watery, squinty or just don't look normal, it's time for a visit to your veterinarian. If uveitis is suspected, your veterinarian might run tests for the underlying causes and prescribe a medicated eye drop to bring the inflammation under control. If a cataract is formed or there has been eye trauma, you will probably be referred to an eye specialist, a veterinary ophthalmologist.

Surgery

Just because a cataract is present, it does not necessarily mean surgery. The size and location of the cataract are factors in treatment. If the cataract is large or very dense, then complications can be controlled with medications.

It is completely reasonable to expect your cat to have a good life even if he becomes blind. Keeping him indoors helps protect him as well as keeping things in the same place so he can learn the paths to his toys, litter box, food and favorite areas. Keep the lights dim helps him see better with what eyesight he has left.

A puncture to the eye lens or larger congenital cataracts are more likely candidates for surgery. Some cat owners forgo cataract surgery that is caused by uveitis. Uveitis already causes inflammation to the eye, so surgery can just lead to more inflammation, complications and pain.

Other Considerations

The pre-op analysis, surgery and post-surgery checkups run from $1,500 to $3,000. Then there is the post-op medication. Opting for a small monthly cat health care insurance program helps with the financial burden. It certainly reduces the necessity of a cat eye care decision based upon limited financial resources.

Cataracts in cats are rare. As part of your cat eye care program, take a few minutes to check out your felines eyes. If you notice cloudiness, watery eyes, squinting or a significant change in your cat's eyes or navigation, look to your veterinarian for cat eye care guidance. Not all cataracts warrant surgery. A blind cat can lead a normal, happy life indoors and with proper eye medications.

Can carotenoids a day keep cataracts away? While there is no definite answer yet, the evidence is growing that vitamin A or carotenoids like lutein and zeaxanthin may decrease the risk of cataracts in the same manner as the other antioxidant vitamins C and E.

This hypothesis doesn’t sound so far fetched when you consider the fact that the lens of the eye is very vulnerable to free radical damage caused by ultraviolet (UV) light – a destructive process that can be prevented by antioxidants.

Since all light entering the eye must pass through the lens, the latter is constantly bombarded by UV light. Over time, the lens becomes cloudy with age. As the cloudiness or cataract worsens, vision is gradually reduced until blindness sets in.

“The problem definitely gets worse with time. Between the ages of 52 and 64, about 5 percent of adults have some form of cataracts. Between 75 and 85, the number increases to 46 percent. Cataracts are one of the major causes of blindness in the elderly,” according to the editors of Consumer Guide’s “Complete Book of Vitamins & Minerals.”

Cataracts are an important cause of disability in the elderly owing to progressive vision loss. Surgery to replace the damaged lens is generally considered if the patient feels uncomfortable, unsafe or is unable to perform daily tasks. In the United States alone, over a million extractions are performed yearly.

Until recently, the best advice doctors could give patients wary about cataracts is to avoid sunlight or wear a good pair of sunglasses to filter out harmful UV light. Now researchers are turning to dark green leafy vegetables for the answers. These foods are packed with antioxidants that are believed to prevent the development of cataracts.

Several studies seem to point in that direction. In one, an increased susceptibility to UV-induced cataract was found in a guinea pig deprived of vitamin C. Another showed that diabetic rats given vitamin C supplements were less likely to develop the disease.

What about human studies? One of the largest was made by the Harvard School of Public Health and involved 36,644 American male health professionals (i.e. dentists, optometrists, pharmacists, veterinarians, etc.) aged 45 to 75 years. The subjects were given a detailed dietary questionnaire to assess their intake of carotenoids and other nutrients. Follow-up questionnaires were mailed every two years to determine their health and learn if any of them had undergone cataract extraction.

At the end of the study, researchers found that intakes of antioxidant vitamin A or carotenoids were associated with a moderately decreased risk of cataract extraction. The foods that appear to exhibit this desirable effect were broccoli and spinach that are both rich sources of lutein and zeaxanthin.

A similar study among 77,466 female nurses aged 45 to 71 years old yielded the same results. Those with the highest intake of lutein and zeaxanthin had a 22 percent decreased risk of cataract extraction. Spinach and kale were cited as having the most beneficial effect.

Another way to bring back the sparkle in your eyes is to use Eyevive. This eye cream for men and women strengthens tiny vessels around the eyes to reduce the formation of dark circles, fine lines, wrinkles, and puffiness. Eyevive’s powerful formula is packed with special ingredients enhanced with green tea extract, aloe and Pro-Vitamin B5 to give you a fresher and more vibrant look. For more information, visit http://www.eyevive.com.

The term cataracts refers to a clouding of the eye's lens that is located behind the iris and pupil. This particular lens operates by focusing light on to the retina, much in the same way as a camera lens. The lens affected by cataracts is also involved in the eye's focus.

This lens consists of protein and water. This protein is precisely arranged for optimum functioning. However, during the natural aging process, these proteins can become clumped together and cause the eye to cloud. This cloud is what is known as a cataract and will most likely get larger as time progresses if left untreated. Your eye doctor will probably want to wait until the cataract interferes with your eyesight before opting to remove it.

There are three different types of cataracts you should know about:

Cortical Cataracts: This type of cataract is formed in the cortex of the lens. Over time, a cortical cataract will extend from the outside of the lens to the center. This type of cataract is common to diabetes sufferers.

Nuclear Cataracts: Nuclear cataracts are the most common type of cataracts. Forming in the center of the lens, this type of cataract is caused by the normal aging process. When this cataract first forms, you may even experience improved vision. However, this effect will not last long.

Subcapsular Cataracts: This kind of cataract starts at the back of the lens. If you take steroids, have diabetes, or suffer from farsightedness, you may be susceptible to supcapsular cataracts.

Fortunately, all three types of cataracts can be removed with eye surgery. Today's surgeons implement the use of lasers and other innovative technology to remove a patient's cataracts with a minimum of risk or discomfort. Some cataract surgeries will involve removing the clouded lens and replacing it with a clear plastic lens called an intraocular lens.

While cataract removal surgery is relatively safe, you may experience a few side effects such as swelling, bleeding or discomfort. Your eye doctor will advise you on the steps to take during recovery to aid proper healing.

Nutritionists are currently studying the role diet plays in the prevention of cataracts. Research has shown a favorable link between antioxidants and the prevention of cataracts. Antioxidants are vitamins such as Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Vitamin E that work to fight harmful free radicals in the body.