Cataract in Detail - Causes of Cataract

Causes of cataract

1. Age related cataract

Most of the cataracts are related to aging. Types of age related cataracts are Nuclear cataract, Cortical cataract and Posterior sub capsular cataract.

Nuclear Cataract People with nuclear cataract have a greater difficulty in distant vision than near vision. They go in for a process called second sight

"Second Sight"- Nuclear cataracts cause a shift in the spectacle power towards the minus side (myopic), such people who are exclusive on reading glasses no long require them. This is known as "second sight". But as the lens changes progresses the patient will ultimately lead to diminution of vision and require surgery.

2. Cortical cataract

Increase in the water content and alteration in the protein structure causes lens opacification. People with cortical cataracts experience glare from oncoming car headlights which can incapacitate them leading on to what is known as "nonocular diplopia" - seeing a single object double with the affected eye, the other eye being closed. As the lens continues to take up water it may swell and become an intumescent cataract, still later it forms a total white opacity called Mature cataract and finally become Hypermature cataract. The proteins leak out leaving behind a shrunken -Posterior subcapsular cataract - Patients develop a greater decrease in near vision than distant vision.