Senile Cataracts

Senile cataract is the most common type of cataract. It is the kind of cataract that usually develops with a person’s age. The lens of our eyes grows all through out life. The lenses of our eyes are found to be growing in size as we age. There are major changes too in the clarity and resiliency our lenses. Later in life, our lenses will tend to become more rigid and less transparent. This is expected of everyone. This is normal as a result of the aging process, but the rate that it happens from one person to another varies.  To verify the extent of the damage, the ophthalmologist may be in need of the assistance of an opthalmic microscope

Congenital Cataracts

A rarer type of cataract is already present at birth. Such kind is called the congenital cataract.  Some babies are born with cataracts or develop them in childhood, and are often seen in both eyes. This kind of cataract is usually a result of some vent during the fetal development stages, especially at the time the eyes were being formed.

It is also known that one common cause for cases of congenital cataracts stem from exposure to German measles virus in the first trimester of the pregnancy, when the child’s major organs are being formed. The congenital cataracts may be so small at times that they do not affect vision. If they do however, the lenses may need to be removed through surgery with the aid of an opthalmic microscope.

An opthalmic microscope is clinically used in the evaluation of various eye diseases including cataracts.