
Types of cataract
23 August 2022
Cataract is the name given to the crystalline lens (the natural lens inside the eye) when it becomes opaque. It is located behind the pupil and works like the lens of a camera, allowing light to pass through and focusing images on the retina, which in turn sends them to the brain, where vision is produced.
Whatever type of cataract you have, treatment is always surgical.
There are 5 main types of cataracts:
1. Age-related cataracts
As you age, they can develop due to natural changes in the lens. This is the most common type.
2. Traumatic cataract
Severe eye injuries can damage the lens and cause a cataract. The cataract may form quickly after the injury, or it may form many years later.
3. Radiation cataracts
Certain types of radiation can cause cataracts. These include ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun and radiation treatment for cancer.
4. Pediatric cataracts
Children can also develop cataracts. They may be born with them - congenital cataracts - or develop them later in life.
Cataracts in children are rare and are usually genetic, i.e., they run in families. They can also be caused by serious complications during pregnancy or by diseases during childhood, such as uveitis or eye tumors.
5. Secondary cataract (posterior capsule opacification)
After cataract surgery, some people may develop a condition called secondary cataract, which causes vision to become cloudy again. This condition is also called posterior capsule opacification. Secondary cataract is common, but it is easily solved with laser treatment (capsulotomy) at the ophthalmologist's office.
At the Espaillat Cabral Institute, we have specialists for the diagnosis and treatment of cataracts. Make your appointment online.