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Cataracts are one of the most common eye diseases and are often associated with aging. It cause cloudiness in the normally transparent lens of your eye and, without timely diagnosis and treatment, can significantly impair vision.
At Florida Eye Center, the leading eye doctor in Tampa, our specialists can help you understand different types of cataracts, enabling you to take proactive steps toward treatment and maintain eye health.
Cataracts occur when the eye’s natural lens becomes cloudy. Among the various types, the most common cataracts form as a result of aging. Lens proteins break down and clump together, preventing light rays from reaching the retina. Cataracts can also be caused by genetics, trauma, pre-existing medical conditions, or exposure to harsh conditions like radiation.
As cataracts progress, the clouding of the lens worsens, resulting in progressively impaired vision. Left untreated, this can lead to blindness; however, timely diagnosis can quickly lead to reversing the condition. Cataract surgery, a procedure involving the removal of the cloudy lens and its replacement with a clear artificial one, is very effective. Cataract treatment in Tampa at Florida Eye Center can be a very safe outpatient procedure with full recovery in four to eight weeks.
Subcapsular cataracts develop on the back surface of the lens and cloud the vision. These cataracts can develop either near the back of the lens or closer to the front. Cataracts that develop closer to the back of the lens tend to progress more rapidly and are often a result of pre-existing medical conditions like diabetes or exposure to radiation. Subcapsular cataracts that form on the front of the lens are less common and more likely caused by trauma to the eye.
Nuclear cataracts are the type of cataract most associated with aging and occur when proteins in the central portion of the eye break down and group together. This grouping of proteins causes cloudiness in the lens that disrupts the passage of light, causing blurred or otherwise obstructed vision.
Cortical cataracts develop in the outer edges of the lens and progress inward toward the nucleus. These cataracts often cause glare, halos around lights, and difficulty detecting contrast, especially in bright light conditions. Cortical cataracts can form as a result of aging, exposure to UV radiation from the sun, smoking, or pre-existing medical conditions like diabetes.
Congenital cataracts appear at birth or develop during early childhood. These can result from genetics or abnormalities in the development of the lens during fetal development or infancy. They present similarly to age-related cataracts, causing cloudiness of the lens that can obstruct vision.
Traumatic cataracts can develop as a result of injury to the eye. They can occur at any age when the eye trauma occurs, and the severity of the cataract depends on the severity of the injury. Traumatic cataracts may develop immediately following the injury or over time as a result of inflammation or other complications present during the recovery of the eye.
All types can be treated with Florida Eye Center’s cataract treatment in Tampa through proper diagnosis. To schedule a consultation with a Tampa eye doctor at the Florida Eye Center, request an appointment today.
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