Cataracts - in younger person

moneyistooshorttomention

A friend of mine that is also in her early 60s has been diagnosed as cataracts in both eyes.

I'm beginning to realise that its restricting her life already. She is unable to read some things I can read okay, won't drive at night, is now wary of even driving very far in the daytime. I'm finding out gradually about these restrictions on her life -as, bit by bit, she is saying "I cant do this because of the cataracts, I cant do that because of the cataracts".

She's not the type to fight for herself very much (unlike me then:cool:).

As I understand it - the NHS tells people "You must wait for them to be 'ripe enough' before we'll do them" and then one goes into the territory these days of them trying to refuse to do the 2nd one etc.

Is the "gotta wait for them to be ripe enough" actually a necessity from the persons own health pov and therefore a genuine necessity OR can cataracts be done the second they are there (ie in order to minimise the amount of time they are there disrupting someone's life?).

I do have a cynical suspicion that the "wait till they are ripe enough" statement is something that the NHS does in the hope that the patient will die before they reach the head of the queue to get done (as people are usually elderly before they get them). But, as stated, my friend is only early 60s and therefore there is no point in them making her wait and hoping she'll die whilst waiting - as she's probably got around 20 years or so left to live.

silvercar

Cataracts in younger people are different to age related ones. What is her specialist advising? My friend had cataracts at 40, so it is not only old people that get them.

moneyistooshorttomention

I shall have to clarify, as far as I can, the exact words her specialist said to her then. That might be "fun" - as, unlike me, she's probably only got the general gist of what she/he said to her. Whereas I would be writing down the exact words in my house/body maintenance diary before I forgot them.

I'll try and find out.

I didnt realise there are two different "types" of cataract. That being - younger person and older person. Can you explain more on that please? I'm guessing she comes in the "younger" person category (being early 60s - so neither of us are regarding ourselves as elderly yet).

amersall

I had cataracts done when I was 51,7 years ago, they were childhood cataracts and from 8 years old, they were no problem at all from then to 51.
When I had them done all I had was a slight vision problem in one eye.
I was referred to a specialist and had the first one done within 3 weeks and was put on the list for the second one, that was done about a
month or so later.
I asked the specialist if they had to wait for them to get worse, he said no, the sooner they are done the better, but that was not the case previously.
I don't know the criteria for removing them now as the NHS are
stretched at the moment so maybe this is one area they are "cutting" back on, but, I would have thought that if cataracts are causing problems as the ops friend is experiencing, this should maybe priority?.
As silvercar said, "what does her specialist say".

silvercar

I didnt realise there are two different "types" of cataract. That being - younger person and older person. Can you explain more on that please? I'm guessing she comes in the "younger" person category (being early 60s - so neither of us are regarding ourselves as elderly yet).

Second hand information, but older people get cataracts that very gradually over time worsen.

Younger people get cataracts that can cause no problem for years and can then suddenly cause an issue. They are less likely to show gradual deterioration and more likely to show sudden worsened symptoms. You can also have them appear in relatively unusual places, my friends was at the back of the lens rather than the front.

GwylimT

I have a cateract on my left eye, it causes me zero sight problems. There really is no point removing something that isn't causing a problem.

lessonlearned

GwylimT wrote: »

I have a cateract on my left eye, it causes me zero sight problems. There really is no point removing something that isn't causing a problem.

This......

Two years ago my optician said he could spot early signs of cataracts. I was 64. I was told they would need to "ripen" and that the process can take several years.

I read up and decided that because mine were at such an early stage I would up my intake of green leafy veg and I also started taking vitamin supplements due to a few other minor health niggles I was experiencing.

A year later I was given the all clear, no sign of cataracts.

Co-incidence.?? who knows, maybe I just got lucky but I do think that eye health is like anything else in the body. The condition of the eye can be a telltale sign of all sorts of illness. MY mums diabetes was diagnosed because the optician had spotted signs of change.

If think if we Give the body optimum nutrition and a bit of self help quite often the little niggly things will get better of their own accord.

Of course the cataracts might come back later, maybe I've only bougnt "time" Both my parents had them, not sure whether they are genetic or not.

I know that conditions like macular degeneration are often caused by lack of a substance called Lutyens. This is found in green leafy veg, especially spinach, (which is why I decided to try it and eat more green stuff). You can also take a Lutyens supplement.

powerful_Rogue

September 2015 when I was 32, Noticed my eye sight in my left eye deteriorating. Come December when I finally got to see a specialist, I was diagnosed with a Cataract. By the end of January I was completely blind in my left eye. Only thing I could see was a complete white mist.

Cataract operation was performed in June 2016. Due to my age, it had to be performed under General Anaesthetic.

moneyistooshorttomention

GwylimT wrote: »

I have a cateract on my left eye, it causes me zero sight problems. There really is no point removing something that isn't causing a problem.

These are causing her problems though (cant read things in dim light other people can/being very restricted as to what driving she feels she can do and I must admit the thought of being a passenger in a car with someone with less than perfect eyesight introduces all sorts of considerations).

Re earlier response - then it does seem like she can, in actual fact, get them removed immediately and it would only be "NHS restrictions" that prevented that.

It's certainly a valid point to make to her that maybe hers are of the "younger person - will progress faster" type - as I think she's assuming they will get worse at a very gradual rate.

I'm getting the idea now as to what questions to ask her about how things are.

moneyistooshorttomention

lessonlearned wrote: »

This......

Two years ago my optician said he could spot early signs of cataracts. I was 64. I was told they would need to "ripen" and that the process can take several years.

I read up and decided that because mine were at such an early stage I would up my intake of green leafy veg and I also started taking vitamin supplements due to a few other minor health niggles I was experiencing.

A year later I was given the all clear, no sign of cataracts.

Co-incidence.?? who knows, maybe I just got lucky but I do think that eye health is like anything else in the body. The condition of the eye can be a telltale sign of all sorts of illness. MY mums diabetes was diagnosed because the optician had spotted signs of change.

If think if we Give the body optimum nutrition and a bit of self help quite often the little niggly things will get better of their own accord.

Of course the cataracts might come back later, maybe I've only bougnt "time" Both my parents had them, not sure whether they are genetic or not.

Personally - I think you are absolutely right LL:T. I don't think for one second it was coincidence that you got rid of them. I think it's because you decided to do so and took appropriate action. That's exactly what I would do - and part of the reason I'm upping my game personally and taking my diet from (genuinely) healthy to super-healthy. I know my whole family has appalling health in all sorts of ways - and my parents have both had to have cataract operations on both eyes (at the sort of age one might expect - ie 80's). Admitted - we've all spent more time than many in hot/sunny climates when I was a child (courtesy of my father having been in the Armed Forces) and hence we have greater need than many to "keep an eye on things" imo and I don't think that helped as regards my parents one little bit. I'm fully expecting my unhealthy younger brother to have cataracts in both eyes pretty soon (he may have already for all I know - but I'm barely in touch with him to know).

But my friend looks at me blankly when I ask about her diet and her sunglasses wearing (for protection) etc.

I know exactly what my chances are of persuading her to eat more healthily. I'd rate them at zilch personally:(. She eats pretty darn unhealthily and I can't see a hope in hell of persuading her otherwise:cool:. I'm doing the best I can of "positive example effect" and trying to encourage her to think about why my health is so much better than most other people in our agegroup - but I don't honestly rate my chances of it working:(. I do cringe whenever I spot her tucking in (again) to white sliced "rubber bread"/something sweet and full of sugar etc and I honestly think I'd be on a losing wicket if I try and persuade her to change - and quite another problem of what would happen to her surplus skin after losing all the weight she would lose if she did.

I'm going to have to play this very very gently to try and help her.

moneyistooshorttomention

powerful_Rogue wrote: »

September 2015 when I was 32, Noticed my eye sight in my left eye deteriorating. Come December when I finally got to see a specialist, I was diagnosed with a Cataract. By the end of January I was completely blind in my left eye. Only thing I could see was a complete white mist.

Cataract operation was performed in June 2016. Due to my age, it had to be performed under General Anaesthetic.

Wow! That is horrifying quick progress:eek:

Can you clarify please as to why it had to be under general anaesthetic due specifically to your age? (Admits I'm such a coward that I'd need it under general anaesthetic anyway if ever I had to have it:eek:) - but I am wondering what difference age makes to treatment.