Can cataracts be treated without surgery?

Written by Hu Shu Fang

Ophthalmology

Updated on September 28, 2024

00:00

00:00

In the early stages of cataracts, if one's vision is still greater than 0.3 and they feel it does not affect daily life, it is possible to initially observe without immediate intervention. If the cataracts have significantly worsened vision and greatly impacted the quality of life, and the severity of the cataracts is considerable, then it is advisable to undergo cataract surgery at an appropriate time. Currently, cataract surgery is very advanced, and the only treatment option for cataracts is surgical intervention, as medication is not very effective.

Other Voices

home-news-image

Written by Zheng Xin

Ophthalmology

34sec

home-news-image

Difference between fundus diseases and cataracts

Diseases of the eye fundus mainly refer to diseases of the choroid and retina in the posterior segment of the eye, while cataracts are diseases of the lens in the middle segment of the eye, so there is a difference in their locations. Clinically, eye fundus diseases manifest as declining vision and obstructed vision, while cataracts manifest as blurred vision, foggy vision, or seeing halos around lights. Eye fundus diseases can be treated conservatively or surgically, whereas cataracts require surgical treatment.

home-news-image

Written by Zhou Qing

Ophthalmology

1min 24sec

home-news-image

Early symptoms of cataracts

The early symptoms of cataracts can manifest as day blindness or night blindness. When the cloudiness of the lens originates from the middle of the eye, the strong daylight and illumination can cause the pupil to contract, which then blocks the light from entering the eye, resulting in day blindness. When the cloudiness of the lens is located around the periphery of the eye, the dim light at night cannot reach the peripheral retina, thus causing night blindness. Other early symptoms of cataracts include the following: when the cloudiness of the lens is located at the pupil, patients may see fixed dots or patches of shadow in front of their eyes. However, since cataracts share similar characteristics with floaters, they should be distinguished; the shadows in floaters can move, while the shadows in cataracts are fixed. Varying degrees of blurry vision are also early symptoms of cataracts. Patients may experience gradually increasing blurriness of vision, often perceiving halos around lights or seeing colors of objects as dull and unclear. The early development of cataracts is quite slow and can be determined by the deepest and most obvious part of the lens cloudiness and its development condition.

home-news-image

Written by Peng Xi Feng

Ophthalmology

27sec

home-news-image

Postoperative complications of cataract surgery

Complications after cataract surgery are relatively common and include the following types: First, incision leakage, leading to a shallow anterior chamber; Second, pupil block; Third, damage to the corneal endothelium, causing persistent corneal edema, and even bullous keratopathy; Fourth, anterior chamber hemorrhage; Fifth, epithelial implantation in the anterior chamber; Sixth, postoperative uveitis; Seventh, increased intraocular pressure; Eighth, abnormal positioning or dislocation of the intraocular lens; Ninth, macular edema, and retinal detachment can also occur.

home-news-image

Written by Deng Jiang Tao

Ophthalmology

1min 5sec

home-news-image

Consequences of not undergoing cataract surgery

First, it is important to understand what cataracts are. Cataracts are the clouding of the lens cortex, which commonly refers to the gradual whitening of the central pupil area, the black part of the eye. Cataracts, based on their stage of development, are divided into early, middle, and late stages. In the early stage of cataract, the vision is slightly impaired. In the middle stage, the cortex becomes moderately clouded, and vision might still be around 0.4 or 0.5. In the late stage, the cataract is severely matured, generally with vision lower than 0.3. Cataract in its early and middle stages might not necessarily require immediate surgery. However, in late stages, when vision drops below 0.3, surgery should be considered. If not treated surgically, the mature cataract can completely block light, progressively decreasing vision and eventually leading to blindness. Therefore, it is advisable to consider surgical treatment for cataracts in the late stage.

home-news-image

Written by Hu Shu Fang

Ophthalmology

34sec

home-news-image

What are the symptoms of cataracts?

Cataracts are caused by the clouding of the lens, leading to a decline in vision. Early symptoms include blurred vision, sometimes seeing black spots, and some patients report a significant decrease in vision in dim light, with both near and distant vision being unclear. As cataracts progress, the decline in vision becomes more pronounced, severely affecting the quality of life. Some patients with cataracts may also experience double vision, changes in color perception, and a significant decrease in vision, requiring surgical treatment.