Cataract is characterized by the opacification of the crystalline lens, this natural lens located behind the cornea and the iris, and normally transparent. It allows light rays to be focused on the retina to obtain clear vision. As we age, the proteins that compose it degrade and clump together, forming opaque areas that disrupt the transmission of light and impair vision. Different factors increase the risk of developing cataracts with age (over 60 years): prolonged exposure to the sun without protection, smoking or poorly controlled diabetes. Certain medications (such as corticosteroids), eye trauma, certain surgical procedures or a family history of early cataracts can also precipitate its appearance.
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Specific symptoms
Vision that becomes blurry or cloudy, as if looking through a dirty window or a veil, decreased sensitivity to contrasts and reliefs, alteration of colors (dull or yellowed), increased sensitivity to light (photophobia) and glare, especially at night: the symptoms of cataract appear gradually.
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Safe and effective treatments
Surgery remains the reference protocol. The procedure involves removing the clouded lens and replacing it with an implant. It is generally carried out on an outpatient basis and under local anesthesia. Its success rate is very high and technological advances further improve results with laser-assisted surgery, providing increased precision in incisions and lens fragmentation. Multifocal implants correct both the vision of…
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