In recent times, we found that there are many brands of eye patch health products in the market, claiming that they use the “eye poisoning theory” (a new pathogenesis of eye diseases recognized by the international industry), saying that after using the eye patch to clear cataracts, vitreous turbidity, myopia and other eye diseases. Many consumers have called the newspaper with complaints that this type of product has no real effect. Questions and answers regarding common sense in the treatment of cataracts and other eye diseases are as follows: 1. Elderly people are prone to cataracts and other eye diseases, and what is the principle of their onset?
Age-related cataract is the most common age-related eye disease, mostly seen after the age of 50, and its incidence increases with age. The exact mechanism is not fully understood. Usually, the lens itself is gradually clouded, and no obvious cause is found in the whole body or local area. The onset of the disease is often bilateral and can occur sequentially or simultaneously, and it can take months to years from onset to maturity. Therefore, there is no “ocular toxicity theory”.
2. What are the misconceptions of patients about cataract treatment?
Indeed, the only effective treatment for cataract is cataract surgery.
Medications can be used in the early stages of cataracts to slow their progression, but they are not yet effective for clouded lenses. These drugs usually promote the metabolism of the lens epithelium, protect the lens proteins to prevent protein degeneration, or supplement substances to prevent changes in the lens chemistry. Recent studies have shown that genetics, ultraviolet light, systemic diseases (e.g., hypertension, diabetes, atherosclerosis), and nutritional status are all related to this condition. Since the cause of cataract is still unclear, so far there is no drug that can really play a role in preventing and treating cataract, whether it is eye drops and oral drugs sold in hospitals and markets at present, or drugs and methods advertised in some advertisements.
In the past, the traditional surgery method did not use microscopic technology and there was no artificial lens at that time, so we had to wait until it was fully “mature” and the patient could not see before we could operate, and the treatment effect was also very unsatisfactory. Due to the slow progression of cataracts, elderly patients had to endure the pain and trouble of low vision for a long time, causing great inconvenience to themselves and their families. With the advancement of medical technology, especially the development of cataract ultrasound emulsion aspiration combined with IOL implantation under a microscope, the safety and effectiveness of cataract surgery have been greatly improved. With a few drops of anesthetic, a skilled specialist can usually perform the surgery in just five minutes with minimal risks and few complications, and the light will be restored the next day. Therefore, there is absolutely no need for the elderly with cataracts to fear surgery.
3.How to treat cataract and how to get out of the treatment misunderstanding?
As long as the vision of cataract patients is below 0.3-0.5 and starts to affect the normal life and work of the elderly, surgery can be considered. Overly mature cataracts, on the contrary, increase the difficulty of surgery. It is especially noteworthy that doctors often see some elderly people with diabetes coming to the doctor. These elderly people often do not pay attention to the treatment of diabetes and wait until they have obvious cataracts or even bleeding in the fundus before coming to the doctor, which seriously affects the quality of life of these elderly people. For these elderly people, treatment must be regular and systematic diabetic treatment according to the doctor’s orders to control the blood sugar concentration within the normal range so that the chances of cataract and fundus bleeding can be reduced. If cataracts appear, they can also be treated surgically as long as the diabetes is well controlled. Therefore, the elderly must pay high attention to the treatment of diabetes.