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A cataract is an obstruction that happens in the lens of the eye. It could be slight cataract or it could be complete opacity. It blocks the passage of light. If it is age related cataract, then the lens power could be increased causing myopia or near sightedness. There is also slow yellowing and a little lens opacification reducing the perception towards blue colours. The condition of eye cataract graduates from loss of vision. People can become blind if left untreated. It is normally seen to affect one eye. Normally a single eye is affected prior to the other.
Senile cataracts of the eye occur mostly in the elderly. It is primarily seen with an initial lens opacity. This is followed by the swelling of the lens. The lens shrinks and there is transparency loss. It has been seen that time liquefies the cataract cortex and forms a milky white fluid. This is called a MOragagnian cataract. This causes serious swelling if the lens breaks and leak. If left untreated, then it causes a condition called phacomorphic glaucoma. In really weak cataracts, the zonules are weak. These are also liable to getting dislocated posteriorly or anteriorly. This kind of posterior dislocations occurring spontaneously is actually a blessing from heaven. This is similar to the ancient surgical procedure known as couching. The perception of light was brought back in the patients who have cataract.
Cataract comes from the Latin cataract. This means waterfall. The word is also derived from the Greek word kataraktes and katarrhaktes. It is also derived from katarassein. This means to dash down. Kata means down and Arassein means to strike, dash. Similar to water running fast that turns while, the term later is used as a metaphor. This is used to explain the similar look of ocular opacities which are mature. In Latin cataract had the other meaning “portucullis”. Thus, it is probable that the name arrived due to the sense of obstruction. It was called by the Persian physicians as the nazul-i-ah. This is called the descent of the water. This is described as a cataract or waterfall disease. They believed that the blindness is caused by an overflow of the corrupt humour towards the eye
It has been seen that age related eye cataracts are causing forty eight percent of the blindness in the world. This blindness represents eighteen million people. This is as per the World Health Organisation or the WHO. In a lot of countries, surgical services are not adequate. Cataracts of the eye are the leading blindness causes. The number of cataracts of the eye is growing. This is also a reason why vision is low in both developing and developed countries . Low vision is normally related to cataracts and it could still be present. But due to long waits for the operation and obstacles to the surgical uptake and the cost, lack of information and problems of transportation it is not feasible always.
IN the United States, the lenticular changes which are age related are reported in forty two percent of those between fifty two to sixty four ,sixty percent of those between sixty five and seventy four. It is also seen in ninety one percent of those between the ages seventy five and eighty five.
Cataracts of the eye are also caused due to the increase in the radiation caused by ultraviolet rays which results in the depletion of the ozone layer.
The earliest records of eye cataracts are from the Bible. It is also seen that it is seen in the early Hindu records. Sushruta, an Indian surgeon was the first to develop cataract surgery. There was a special tool called the jabamukhi salaka, which performed cataract surgery in the Indian way. The Jabamukhi salaka is a curved needle. This is used to loosen the lens. This pushes the cataract out of the vision area. Warm butter is used to soak the eye later and then is bandaged. Sushruta warned that it should be used only when it is necessary. There is also a case of Greek physicians and Greek philosophers who travelled to India where the surgeries are performed by the physicians. The cataract removal by surgery was brought into China from India.
The initial reference to cataract and the way it is treated is made in Ancient Rome. This was in 29 CE in De Medicinae. The Latin encyclopedist Aulus Cornelius Celsus wrote this book. The Romans were experts in the area of health. This is particularly in the eye care area.
