白内障

迹象 & 症状

白内障 progress slowly; in the early stages of the disease, you may not notice any major changes in your vision. Glasses or contact lenses can help correct these minor visual problems. 但随着病情的发展, your vision may become seriously impaired and surgery may be required.

症状包括:

• 无痛的、浑浊的、模糊的或模糊的视力
• 在夜间或弱光下看东西更困难
• 对光和眩光敏感
• 看到灯光周围的光晕
• 褪色或泛黄的颜色
• The need for brighter light for reading and other activities
• Frequent changes in eyeglass or contact lens prescription
• 一只眼睛有双重视力

诊断

诊断白内障, 你首先要做一个散瞳检查, in which drops are placed into your eye to make your pupil dilate, 或扩大. Your ophthalmologist will then use a special magnifying lens to examine your retina and optic nerve for any signs of damage. After the exam, your close-up vision may be blurred for several hours.

其他测试包括:

• 折射测试
• 裂隙灯检查. A slit-lamp is a special type of microscope that allows your ophthalmologist to examine your eye's cornea, 虹膜和晶状体小, 详细的部分.
• 视网膜考试. Using a slit-lamp or special instrument called an ophthalmoscope, your ophthalmologist will look through your pupil at the vitreous, retina and other structures located inside the back portion of your eye for signs of cataracts or other eye diseases.

治疗

Glasses or contact lenses may correct minor vision problems caused by early stage cataracts. As the disease progresses, however, surgery — the only treatment for cataracts — may be necessary. Eye drops, exercise or glasses will not make the cataract disappear once it has formed.

Cataract surgery is usually an outpatient procedure and does not require an overnight stay in the hospital.

超声乳化吸出术

超声乳化吸出术 is a very common method for cataract surgery which uses ultrasound to help remove the cataract. 在乳化, the cataract is removed and replaced with an artificial lens made of plastic, silicone or acrylic called an intraocular lens (IOL). The IOL becomes a permanent part of your eye and allows light to pass through and focus properly on the retina. Before it is inserted, your ophthalmologist will make a small incision in the side of your cornea. A tiny instrument that uses high-frequency ultrasound will be used to break up the cataract and suction it out. The IOL is then inserted and once in place, your surgeon will close the incision. Afterwards, a protective shield will be placed over your eye.

折射透镜交换

折射透镜交换 (RLE) is similar to cataract surgery, but can be used for patients who do not have advanced cataracts. 在手术过程中, the ageing natural lens of the eye is replaced with a new intra-ocular lens that corrects nearsightedness and farsightedness, 还有白内障引起的视力问题.

RLE is the treatment of choice for people over 50 or for those who have mild cataracts, as well as other vision problems that are too severe to be treated effectively or safely by laser eye surgery, 比如LASIK.