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What you need to know about cataracts

As we age a number of people will suffer from cataracts, which Vision Australia describes as, “a clouding of the clear lens in the eye and is one of the leading causes of vision impairment.” While the most common form of cataract is associated with ageing, not everyone develops cataracts as they get older, however, everyone should be aware of the condition, its symptoms and who is most at risk. In some cases you can find out in advance if you’re at risk of developing cataracts and then find out how to keep it at bay, if possible. “There are a number of symptoms that can be experienced by those with cataracts, and signs which can indicate their presence,” Specsavers tell Over60. Here we’ve listed the most common ones. Symptoms In its early stages a cataract may not cause vision problems. However some of the common signs associated with advanced cataracts include: <ul> <li>Blurred vision</li> <li>Hazy vision</li> <li>Glare sensitivity</li> <li>Distortion or double vision in the affected eye</li> <li>A feeling of looking through a veil or curtain</li> </ul> Those most at risk Those most at risk include people who have: <ul> <li>A family history of the eye condition</li> <li>Diabetes</li> <li>An injury to the eye</li> <li>Exposed their eyes to sunlight without protection over a long period</li> <li>Smoked for a period of time</li> </ul> In any case, “A full eye examination is the best way to determine whether someone has cataracts and to eliminate more urgent causes of these or any other symptoms,” Specsavers caution, continuing, “If you experience any changes in vision you should visit your optometrist or medical practitioner.” Image credits: Getty Images

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Early warning signs of cataracts that you shouldn’t ignore

Cataracts are one of the most common eye conditions in the world. Around 20 million people in the world are blind from cataracts, making it the leading cause of blindness across the globe, according to statistics from <a href="http://www.who.int/blindness/causes/priority/en/index1.html">WHO.</a> The disease involves the clouding of the lens of the eyes which prevents clear vision, with sufferers likening it to living life behind a foggy window. According to the US National Eye Institute (NEI), there are six warning signs of cataracts that people need to look out for. 1. Cloudy or blurry vision While the blur from cataracts may seem small initially, the effect usually increases over time. 2. Colours appear faded Cataracts can cause colours to appear faded or even cause a yellow tint as the disease progresses, this is because the clumps of protein clouding your lens may turn yellow or brown. 3. Glare Do you see a halo appear around lights? If you have issues with headlights, lamps or the sunlight being too bright, this could be a symptom of cataracts. 4. Poor night vision Cataracts can even impair your ability to do activities at night such as driving. A <a href="http://news.curtin.edu.au/media-releases/cataract-surgery-reduces-car-accidents-and-economic-costs/">study</a> from Curtin University in Australia found that treating cataracts reduced the risk of car accidents by 13 per cent. 5. Double vision or multiple images in one eye Although double vision can be caused by various things, the lens clouding in a cataract can cause diffraction. 6. Frequent prescription changes in your eyeglasses or contact lenses If your eyesight is changing rapidly, it is recommended that you visit your eye doctor to find out the cause. Luckily, cataracts are generally straightforward to treat and those who suffer from them can visit their doctor to receive information about surgery. However, those who live in the world’s poorest countries are unable to access affordable eye-care and surgery. While the risk of cataracts increases as you get older, certain diseases, personal behaviour and the environment are risk factors to the eye disease, which means that even young children can develop a cataract. Children get cataracts from genetic disorders, infections, malnutrition, trauma in the eyes and water-borne infections. Research from <a href="http://www.vision2020australia.org.au/our-work/eye-health-in-our-region">Vision 2020 Australia</a> also shows that those in poverty are the group of people in most dire need of eye surgery, with 90 per cent of vision-impaired people living in developing countries. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/24NBntmhzv4" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> Nhung, 6, lives with her family in a remote village in Vietnam. Nhung, like most little girls, loves to run around with her friends and dreams of being a writer one day. She is an enthusiastic student at school but struggles to read the blackboard due to complications from a cataract in her eye, which causes her pain. Because she lives in a remote village, the closest hospital is hours away. <a href="http://cbm.org.au/miraclesday">Miracles Day</a>, an annual initiative by international aid organisation CBM Australia, aims to give sight-saving surgery to children and adults like Nhung, and those suffering from cataracts in poverty-stricken areas. For just $33 Australians can donate to fund a life-transforming 12-minute cataract operation. “We are working extremely hard to ensure our supported eye health services are inclusive of and accessible to the poorest and most marginalised people,” CBM Australia wrote in a statement. “This includes people with disabilities, disadvantaged women and girls, minority groups, those who have missed out on education and those who live in isolated geographic regions.” The <a href="http://cbm.org.au/miraclesday">fundraising day</a>, held on August 16, has a goal to fund 35,000 people in the world’s poorest countries to receive the Miracle gift of sight, which will require Australians to band together to donate $1,155,000. Last year, $1,081,112 was donated and as a result 33,785 people in some of the world’s poorest countries had their eyesight restored and lives changed because of it. If a priority was placed on tackling the two major causes of vison impairment by providing refractive services and offering cataract surgery across the world, two thirds of vision-impaired people would recover their sight. Will you be part of the solution? Give the Miracle gift of sight by calling 131 226 or visiting <a href="https://www.cbm.org.au/miraclesday">cbm.org.au/miraclesday</a>. THIS IS SPONSORED CONTENT BROUGHT TO YOU IN CONJUNCTION WITH CBM.

Caring

Eye drops could reverse cataracts

Those who suffer from cataracts will know the frustration that comes from this degenerative eye disease. Cataracts affect more than 20 million people worldwide and are caused when the lenses of the eyes lost their transparency. In exciting eye care news, a team of American researchers believe to have made a breakthrough in the treatment of cataracts, using eye drops to reverse cataracts altogether. Impressive. Researchers from the University of California in San Francisco (UCSF) have identified a new compound that is soluble enough to be administered via a simple eye dropper. What’s more, when tested on mice, results were seen in as little as two weeks. While cataracts are treatable, surgery can be uncomfortable and very expensive. Elderly people in developing nations are also affected by this disease, as many don’t have access to resources to treat it. Jason Gestwicki, associate professor at UCSF, says this finding has the potential to help millions of people, and potential lots of applications. "If you look at… the protein aggregates that cause cataracts, you'd be hard-pressed to tell them apart from those that cause Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, or Huntington's diseases," he said. "By studying cataracts we've been able to… show by proof-of-concept that these technologies could also be used in nervous system diseases.” Imagine treating Alzheimer’s Disease or eye issues with a simple drop. Well, it might not belong in the realm of imagination anymore. Related links: <a href="/health/hearing/2015/12/gene-therapy-breakthrough-hearing-loss/">Gene therapy breakthrough for treatment of hearing loss</a> <a href="/health/eye-care/2015/11/how-often-should-you-get-your-eyes-tested/">How often should you visit your optometrist?</a> <a href="/news/news/2015/11/specsavers-spectacle-style-competition/">83-year-old crowned “Spectacle Wearer of the Year”</a>

Eye Care

You can cure cataracts with eye drops

Cataracts are one of the primary causes of blindness, but a study has shown that they may be treatable with a simple solution: eye drops.A study, published in Nature demonstrated that a solution containing a natural steroid call lanosterol can effectively decrease cataracts in dogs.The research, led by the University of California-San Diego, worked based on the knowledge that cataracts develop when the structure of the lens’ crystalline proteins are disrupted and sequentially clumped. This causes them to grow cloudy, or creates what we know as cataracts.The eye’s lens contains a molecule called lanosterol, which is present in many natural steroids found in the body. The study discovered that children who had inherited cataracts all had a gene mutation that caused a blockage of this lanosterol synthase.In the study, researchers tested both human lens cells and live dogs and rabbits, giving them a solution containing lanosterol by either injection or eye drops.In all scenarios, the solution caused a significant decrease in protein clumping in the lenses.In conclusion, the researchers stated their findings:"Our study identifies lanosterol as a key molecule in the prevention of lens protein aggregation and points to a novel strategy for cataract prevention and treatment."

Eye Care

You can cure cataracts with eye drops

Eye Care

What you need to know about cataracts

As we age a number of people will suffer from cataracts, which Vision Australia describes as, “a clouding of the clear lens in the eye and is one of the leading causes of vision impairment.”While the most common form of cataract is associated with ageing, not everyone develops cataracts as they get older, however, everyone should be aware of the condition, its symptoms and who is most at risk. In some cases you can find out in advance if you’re at risk of developing cataracts and then find out how to keep it at bay, if possible.“There are a number of symptoms that can be experienced by those with cataracts, and signs which can indicate their presence,” Specsavers tell Over60. Here we’ve listed the most common ones.SymptomsIn its early stages a cataract may not cause vision problems. However some of the common signs associated with advanced cataracts include:<ul><li>Blurred vision</li><li>Hazy vision</li><li>Glare sensitivity</li><li>Distortion or double vision in the affected eye</li><li>A feeling of looking through a veil or curtain</li></ul>Those most at riskThose most at risk include people who have:<ul><li>A family history of the eye condition</li><li>Diabetes</li><li>An injury to the eye</li><li>Exposed their eyes to sunlight without protection over a long period</li><li>Smoked for a period of time</li></ul>In any case, “A full eye examination is the best way to determine whether someone has cataracts and to eliminate more urgent causes of these or any other symptoms,” Specsavers caution, continuing, “If you experience any changes in vision you should visit your optometrist or medical practitioner.”

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What you need to know about cataracts

Early warning signs of cataracts that you shouldn’t ignore

Eye drops could reverse cataracts

You can cure cataracts with eye drops

You can cure cataracts with eye drops

What you need to know about cataracts

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