Cataract

Dr. Ameen Saleh Ali Al-Saleemis an Ophthalmologist Consultant, Chief Ophthalmic Surgeon, and Chief Executive Officer of Samaya Specialized Center. He has been awarded the Lifelong Education for Ophthalmologist by the American Academy of Ophthalmology. He is a proud member of the American Academy of Ophthalmologists, European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeries and International Society of Refractive Surgery, and has full registration in Pakistan Medical & Dental Council.

What is Cataract?

Cataract, opacification of the lens, is one of the most common causes of loss of self-vision, with an estimated 16 million people worldwide affected. Cataract is the leading case of reversible visual impairment and blindness globally. Several risk factors have been identified in addition to increasing age — genetic composition, exposure to ultraviolet light, and diabetes. A cataract is a lens abnormality characterized by decreased transparency and increased cloudiness.

Why Early Cataract Examination is important Around the age of 40?

• To determine if an individual is of high risk of cataract development due to health conditions such as diabetes.
• To trace the family history as deemed necessary for proper consultation.
• To efficiently know if the symptoms characterized are due to cataract or due to other persistent eye problems.
• To discern and detect common associated problems developing at 40 years of age like angle glaucoma.

What is the impact of Early Cataract Surgery?

• Cataract surgery achieves excellent visual outcomes with low rates of complication To avoid unnecessary related complications during surgery related to hard cataract To preserve the eye's endothelial cells
• To improve the reading distance by using multifocal IOLs

Initial Assessment is Crucial for the Determination of Proper Iol

• Examination of the eye of the patient with sophisticated imaging devices to give high- resolution images of the eye and help towards the extraction of accurate data to achieve the best result
• Data and the images help to form a treatment
• plan that is suitable for each eye according to its specificity
• Replacement of the lens with cataract with a new multi-focal lens "IOL" that helps the patient to eliminate dependence on glasses

What are the Outcomes of a Cataract Surgery?

• improved and optimal vision for near, intermediate, and far distance improve visual function - acuity, color perception and contrast sensitivity
• ultimate satisfaction and improvement of quality of life

References:

Steinberg EP, Javitt JC, Sharkey PD, et al. The content and cost of cataract surgery. Archives of Ophthalmology 111, 417 1041-1049 (1993).

Assil, K. K., Greenwood, M. D., Gibson, A., Vantipalli, S., Metzinger, J. L., & Goldstein, M. H. (2021). Dropless cataract surgery: modernizing perioperative medical therapy to improve outcomes and patient satisfaction. Current opinion in ophthalmology, 32, S1-S12.

Asbell, P. A., Dalan, I., Mindel, J., Brocks, D., Ahmad, M., & Epstein, S. (2005). Age- related cataract. The Lancet, 365(9459), 599-609.

Brian, G., & Taylor, H. (2001). Cataract blindness: challenges for the 21st century. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 79, 249-256.

Lam, D., Rao, S. K., Ratra, V., Li, Y., Mitchell, P., King, J., ... & Chang, D. F. (2015). Cataract. Nature reviews Disease primers, 1(1), 1-15.

Al Messabi, S. S., Dirani, M., & Mkhi-Marathe, S. (2020). Adult onset unilateral high myopia in a female patient: A case report. American Journal of Ophthalmology Case Reports, 20, 100941

Meltzer, M. E., Congdon, N., Kymes, S. M., Yan, X., Lansingh, V. C., Sisay, A., ... & He, M. (2017). Cost and expected visual effect of interventions to improve follow-up after cataract surgery: Prospective Review of Early Cataract Outcomes and Grading (PRECOG) Study. JAMA ophthalmology, 135(2), 85-94.