My wife is in her early fifties. She wears contact lenses and visits the prescribing optometrist every year for a checkup. Last year the optometrist said she could see a slight clouding, or opacity, in the lens of one of my wife's eyes, indicating the beginnings of a cataract. This year she (the optometrist) said the first eye was no worse, but she could now see a similar clouding in the other eye. The optometrist reassured her that this condition was so slight that my wife could not possibly notice any change in her vision due to this. Nevertheless, my wife found this to be quite upsetting. What we need to know is what, if anything, do we do now? Should my wife see an opthalmologist right away or should she wait until the condition becomes a problem? Is this condition progressive and inevitable, once started, or are there any interventions (medications?) that should be considered now?
Answered by Richard E. Gans, M. D. (reg@ofcn.org)
It is not uncommon for an individual in his/her mid-fifties to begin to develop some slight opacification of the lens within the eye. The process called nuclear sclerosis is the most common cause of this haziness. Nuclear sclerosis, however, can take as long as 20 years before it causes enough visual disturbance that cataract surgery is indicated.
There are a few types of lens opacification that relate to systemic conditions or to medications. If such is the case, intervention now might slow or stop the progression of the lens clouding. For these reasons, it may be of value to have a consultation with an ophthalmologist for a "baseline" examination. Most optometrists, however, would also be familiar with these conditions.
It is important to remember that cataract surgery is only indicated when the patient's vision is inadequate to meet his/her needs. If one isn't aware of a visual problem, the lens opacities are likely to be insignificant.
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Copyright, 1996. Richard E. Gans, M. D. All rights reserved.
Richard E. Gans, M. D.
Diplomate, American Board of Ophthalmology
Medical Director, The Health and Wellness Center
OFCN Primary Sysop, The Eye Clinic
Email: reg@ofcn.org
WWW: http://www.ofcn.org:80/about.ofcn/whois/reg/
Mail: 26900 Cedar Road Suite #108
Beachwood, OH USA 44122-1148
NOTICE: OFCN is not engaged in the rendering of professional medical services. The information contained on this system or any other OFCN system should not supplant individual professional consultation. It is offered exclusively as a community education service. Advice on individual problems must be obtained directly from a professional.
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