What are the early symptoms of cataract?

Written by Wang Hui Zhen
Ophthalmology
Updated on November 07, 2024
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Early symptoms of cataracts are not obvious in some patients, while others may experience mild blurriness of vision. As the lens becomes cloudier, the blurriness will gradually worsen, and symptoms such as nearsightedness, glare, and double vision may also appear. In advanced stages, some may develop glaucoma, leading to symptoms like eye pain, headache, nausea, and vomiting, and in severe cases, it can cause blindness. Cataracts are a common and prevalent eye disease and are the leading cause of blindness worldwide. The lens, an important optical component of the human eye, is normally transparent. Cataracts can form due to various reasons leading to protein degeneration in the lens, causing it to become cloudy and result in various degrees of vision loss. It is recommended that patients with cataracts regularly visit ophthalmologists and consider cataract removal surgery if necessary.

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Written by Tao Yuan
Ophthalmology
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Can cataracts be treated with medication in the early stages?

Cataract is a common eye disease and is currently the leading cause of blindness. It often occurs in middle-aged and elderly people, patients with high myopia, and those with chronic inflammation in the eyes. Cataracts can cause a decline in vision, severely reducing the quality of life. In the early stages of cataract formation, it is possible to treat with medication, such as applying eye drops like benzylarginine and pinoxacin, which can delay and prevent the worsening of cataracts. However, it cannot reverse the vision decline caused by cataracts. If the vision decline caused by cataracts has severely affected normal life, work, and study, surgical treatment should be considered promptly. Only by removing the cloudy lens inside the eyeball and replacing it with a transparent artificial lens can vision be restored.

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Written by Hu Shu Fang
Ophthalmology
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Can cataracts be treated without surgery?

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.

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Written by Peng Xi Feng
Ophthalmology
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Cataract is what?

All sorts of reasons, such as aging, genetics, local nutritional disorders, immune and metabolic abnormalities, trauma, poisoning, radiation, etc., can cause metabolic disorders in the lens, leading to the denaturation of the lens proteins and resulting in opacity known as cataract. At this point, the light is obstructed by the opaque lens and cannot be projected onto the retina, causing blurred vision. It is commonly seen in people over the age of forty, and the incidence increases with age. This disease can be divided into congenital cataracts and acquired cataracts. Congenital cataracts are also known as developmental cataracts, and there are six types of acquired cataracts.

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Written by Deng Jiang Tao
Ophthalmology
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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.

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Written by Hu Shu Fang
Ophthalmology
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What is good to eat for cataracts?

Research shows that cataracts are related to the lack of certain trace elements, vitamin B, vitamin C, and amino acids. Therefore, we should eat more vegetables, fruits, fish, meat, and animal organs that contain the above substances in our diet. The diet should be light, avoiding greasy, heavily salted foods and strong spices. At the same time, smoking and alcohol should be avoided to cultivate good eating habits and maintain balanced nutrition. Additionally, it is important to rest and boost one's immunity, which are beneficial for preventing cataracts and inhibiting their progression.