EP #14: Through the Lens: Exploring the types of Cataracts

Ever wondered what's really behind the term 'cataracts'? It's a word we've often heard, especially in connection with aging, but do we fully grasp what it means? Well, buckle up because that's exactly what you're about to find out! Join us alongside our host, Dr. Thuy Nguyen, as we wade through the fog and tackle the complexities of this common yet baffling condition. Using a relatable camera lens analogy, Dr. Nguyen simplifies the intricacies of our eye function and how cataracts dramatically alter this process.

In the course of our conversation, we uncover the three primary types of cataracts—nuclear, cortical, and posterior subcapsular—each with their own unique characteristics and vision effects. From explaining why colors may appear less vibrant to certain individuals, to discussing the impact on night driving and the reasoning behind changes in eyeglass prescriptions, we leave no question unanswered. Discover how these types of cataracts can drastically alter light reception in the eyes, causing glaring, halos, and light distortions. With Dr. Nguyen's vivid descriptions and accessible explanations, we guarantee a wealth of knowledge and a deeper understanding of this prevalent eye condition. So, are you ready to get enlightened? Let's jump right in!

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:03

Welcome to the Jazzy Eyes podcast. Taking care of your vision with expert precision. Here's your host, dr Tween Neuen.

Jeremy: 0:14

Hello, hello everyone, welcome back to the Jazzy Eyes podcast. I'm your co-host, Jeremy Wolfe. I'm joined by your host, dr Tween Neuen. Dr Neuen, always a pleasure, good to see you again. Yes, happy Monday, cyber Monday, time to start my English. So, yes, yes, yes. So we were just talking, dr Falco and I, about cataracts and I learned it awful lot because, like many other folks out there, they've heard the term cataracts but probably can't define it or have the foggiest idea of what it is. So it was very insightful at sharing what that is and various symptoms associated and things like that. So I know you wanted to talk a little bit more about the various types of cataracts.

Dr. Nguyen: 1:08

So, please, yes, so just, I like to use the camera lens analogy when I talk about cataracts, saying, how you know, in the camera there's a lens. That lens is clear In our eyes. There's also a lens that helps us focus. However, when we age, it doesn't stay clear forever. There could be defects that could be discolored after some time, and so what I wanted to talk about is age-related cataracts here, where you've probably heard a friend say, oh, my grandmother or my grandfather had cataracts, and this is one of the types that they're talking about. There's generally three big types of cataracts. One of them, to start, is nuclear cataracts, where, let's say, we're talking about that camera lens. What's clear? As we get older, that camera lens gets cloudy, gets foggy and it gets discolored more towards like the yellow tint. And people who have nuclear cataracts they say, oh, you know, colors aren't as vibrant as they used to be anymore because you're looking through a yellow filter.

Jeremy: 2:11

Why do they call it nuclear cataracts?

Dr. Nguyen: 2:14

Because the structure in the lens, the very center of that structure of the lens, is called the nucleus, which is in the middle and that's where nuclear cataracts happens first. It starts yellow in the middle. Yes, nuclear cataracts. It also makes people contrast when they're driving at night. It's not as defined as it used to be anymore because it's cloudy now, so the contrast that night is not as good. And people with nuclear cataracts, they start to notice that their prescription in their glass this is changing. They start to become more near-sighted. They can't see as far anymore.

Dr. Nguyen: 2:48

With the nuclear cataracts, another type is called cortical cataracts. The cortical cataracts again with the camera lens analogy, the lens. Imagine that there are now cracks in the lens and it starts from the periphery and there's radio cracks. That goes towards the middle, kind of like since it's the season now, if you can imagine like a peppermint wheel, like the red spokes from the outside going towards the center. That's kind of what cortical cataracts look like. And because of the cracks, sometimes when the lens enters the eyes, the light enters the eyes, the light gets scattered and so you'll notice with cortical cataracts the people get glares and halos or like light distortions, and more noticeable when they're driving at night. So, again, night driving is affected with cortical cataracts, and people can be more light sensitive because of all this glare and halo that they're experiencing at night. Especially now with the newer models of cars, I feel like the headlights are so, so bright. And then the last category of cataracts is called posterior subcapsular cataracts, where posterior subcapsular cataracts.

Dr. Nguyen: 3:58

Yeah, Subcapsular.

Jeremy: 4:01

Can we just call it PSC?

Dr. Nguyen: 4:04

Yes, that's what it stands for.

Jeremy: 4:07

It's a mouthful.

Dr. Nguyen: 4:09

It is, and so the lens in our eye actually sits inside of a bag. It's not just a free-forming lens. It's like if you take that camera lens and you wrap it in saran wrap. The saran wrap is the capsule of the lens.

Jeremy: 4:22

So fascinating, I'm sorry. I mean the human body is fascinating, obviously, but the eye is extra fascinating.

Dr. Nguyen: 4:31

I'm always intrigued by the human eye and how it evolved to what it is.

Jeremy: 4:35

Yeah.

Dr. Nguyen: 4:36

Yeah, so the self-capsular cataract is like if you have like a defect on that saran wrap. Where it's now, it kind of looks like frosted cracked ice and it starts in the middle of the cataract. It starts in the middle of the lens and you can imagine when we're reading, people are affected by that type of cataract more, because when you read, your pupils constrict and so all you're looking through is that opacity, rather than when you're looking far away and your pupils are a little bit more dilated and you can look like the, the, the, the rim of the pupils is looking through clear lens instead of the opacity in the middle. And so for posterior subcapsular cataracts, people complain that oh, my reading isn't as good as it used to be, even if they have cheaters or readers on, and those are actually the cataracts like grow the fastest.

Jeremy: 5:26

So I got to think that, first of all, for cataracts, is there a genetic component to this, or is this simply a result of aging and what are some things that I can imagine? Like anything else, if you take care of yourself properly throughout your life and you do things that ultimately decrease the chances of this kind of thing, I got to think that that's a good way to prevent getting cataracts. Or is it just something that results in some people due to the normal aging process?

Dr. Nguyen: 5:58

So the most typical, almost common type of cataract is really age related. So, as long as you're aging, everyone. There are certain things that might have us have early onset cataracts, but most people are not. There are certain things that might have us have early onset cataracts, but most of the times age related. Everyone get cataracts. Not everyone will have surgery, but everyone will eventually get cataracts. In terms of prevention, because we live in Florida, I feel like the UV light affects everything and that's actually one of the things that can cause cataracts is the UV lights can cause, you know, damage the structure of the lens and that can cause the cataracts. So, living in Florida, I feel like wearing sunglasses is a must to block out that UV and prevent the cataracts or make it not grow as much every year.

Jeremy: 6:54

So I want to get into more about the causes of cataracts. Let's do that in another segment. So let's wrap this up and then pick that up in a following segment. So always a pleasure. I'll see you shortly and thanks listeners for tuning in and we will see you in the next episode.

Speaker 1: 7:19

Thank you for listening to the Jazzy Eyes podcast. For more information, visit JazzyEyescom or contact 954-473-010-1.