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Cataract

Cataracta · Šedý zákal (katarakta)

What it is

The lens clouds with age; the world's leading cause of blindness, and fully curable.

Symptoms & signs

  • Gradual blurring
  • glare and haloes at night
  • faded colours
  • frequent glasses changes
  • second sight then worsening

🚩 Get help if…

  • call 112 / 911 now Sudden loss of vision in one eye
  • see a doctor soon Red, painful eye after cataract surgery
  • see a doctor soon Flashes, new floaters or a dark curtain after surgery
  • see a doctor soon Glare or blur that stops you driving safely

Where it strikes

Medical treatment

  • Phacoemulsification with intraocular lens (15-minute day case)
  • choice of monofocal, toric or multifocal lens
  • femtosecond laser cataract surgery — approved, but trials (FEMCAT, FACT) found it no better than standard surgery, at a higher cost mixed evidence
  • light-adjustable lens (RxSight) — FDA-approved 2017, fine-tuned by UV light after surgery

Natural & lifestyle

  • UV-blocking sunglasses
  • stop smoking
  • diabetes control
  • antioxidant-rich diet

Emerging & experimental

  • Pharmacological lanosterol research

Alternative, off-label & anecdotal

Approaches used outside the guidelines, with what their supporters report and what testing has found so far.

  • Lanosterol eye drops — cleared cataracts in dogs; human lenses did not respond not confirmed in trials
  • N-acetylcarnosine drops (Can-C) — sold to dissolve cataracts; no good evidence anecdotal / traditional
  • Bilberry — traditional; untested anecdotal / traditional

ICD codes