By Lee Seung-hee
Published: May 15, 2019, at 2:39 p.m.

A cataract is the gradual clouding of the eye’s natural lens associated with aging. It is one of the most common age-related eye conditions in Korea and may begin to develop as early as the early to mid-40s. It becomes increasingly common among people in their 60s and 70s.

In the early stages of cataract, eye drops intended to slow its progression may sometimes be prescribed. However, cataracts may occasionally progress rapidly and require surgery rather than continued observation or medication.

Patients diagnosed with cataracts should therefore undergo regular ophthalmic examinations every six to twelve months to monitor the progression of the condition.

Common symptoms include cloudy or hazy vision, as though looking through fog, accompanied by reduced visual acuity. Objects or people may appear doubled, and scattered light may cause glare.

Because cataracts are associated with age-related changes in the natural lens, they may also occur alongside presbyopia, which causes difficulty focusing on nearby objects.

Cataracts are treated surgically by removing the clouded natural lens and replacing it with an artificial intraocular lens.

The choice of intraocular lens depends on factors such as the patient’s occupation, working environment and commonly used viewing distances.

Monofocal lenses generally provide a single focal point, usually for distance or near vision, whereas multifocal lenses are designed to provide vision across far, intermediate and near distances. More recently, trifocal lenses and lenses based on a four-focus optical design have been used to accommodate a wider range of patients’ visual needs.

The PanOptix lens, developed by the U.S.-based company Alcon, is described in the article as an intraocular lens based on a four-focus optical design. It is made of a biocompatible hydrophobic material suitable for implantation in the eye.

According to the article, this material may help delay the development of posterior capsule opacification following cataract surgery.




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