Any opacity in the lens is known as cataract. In other words, loss of transparency of lens is defined as cataract. According to national blindness survey 1980/81, 0.84% of the total populations are blind, out of which 72% are due to cataract and its sequels.
Age related cataract is the commonest cause of cataract. Other causes are congenital variety, trauma, systemic diseases like Diabetes Mellitus, Myotonic Dystrophy, Atopic dermatitis, prolonged use of drugs like corticosteroids, chlorpromazine, miotics, gold, amiodarone and due to intraocular inflammations.
Main symptoms are painless progressive dimunition of vision. Sometimes patient may have diffuculty in bright light and diplopia.
Main treatment for any kind of cataract is surgery. If surgery is delayed especially in children, there may not be good vision even after surgery due to development of amblyopia.
At any age, if surgery is delayed, there may be irreversible blindness due to development of secondary Glaucoma.
During surgery, cataractous lens is removed and it is replaced with artificial lens. Surgery is performed in local anesthesia except in children. Surgery can be done using sutures in large incisions, sutureless technique and newer advanced technique like Phacoemulsification where incision is very small, no sutures are used and recovery is faster. If surgery is done in time, there is complete recovery of vision.
Artificial lens had to be exported earlier. Tilganga institute of Ophthalomology is producing them right here in our country. These lenses are being distributed in Nepal and abroad. This had made cataract surgery cheaper than ever.
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