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Cataracts

Description

An in-depth report on the causes, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of cataracts.

Highlights

Medical Societies Issue Tamsulosin (Flomax) Warning

In August 2006, the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS), the American Academy of Ophthalmology, and the American Urological Association (AUA) issued a joint warning concerning Tamsulosin (Flomax). The societies advised patients to be sure to inform their eye surgeons if they are taking this drug. Tamsulosin is frequently prescribed to treat prostate enlargement.

• The ACSRS has developed specific cataract surgery techniques for cataract patients who take this drug. Recent research suggests that these new techniques produce successful surgical outcomes.
• The AUA warns that while men are primarily at risk, more women may be at risk in the future as Tamsulosin is increasingly being prescribed for urinary retention.

Cost of Cataracts

Cataracts cost the United States nearly $7 billion a year in medical services and pharmaceutical costs, according to a 2006 report in the Archives of Ophthalmology .

Can Statins Reduce Cataract Risk?

Statin drugs, which are used to manage cholesterol levels, are associated with a lower risk of nuclear cataract – the most common type of age-related cataract – according to a 2006 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association . Researchers think that the antioxidant properties of statins may account for this association.

Cataract Surgery

• A new surgical technique, phacoviscocanalostomy, works well for patients who have both glaucoma and cataracts, suggests a 2006 study in the Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery .
• Newer methods of administering local anesthesia are resulting in fewer complications than older methods, indicates a 2006 study in the British Journal of Ophthalmology .

Intraocular Lenses (IOLs)

The Tecnis ZM001 IOL helped produce better reading clarity and reading speed than several other newer multifocal IOLs, according to a 2006 comparison study. Multifocal IOLs are used for patients who need correction for both farsightedness and nearsightedness.

• Review Date: 3/1/2007
• Reviewed By: Harvey Simon, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital

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