European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 4, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Cataracts nothing to be complacent about by Jane e. Brody new York times. ,.  the ten repeatedly bulges an flattens to allow you to see objects near and far by focusing Light on the Retina. As you ago she Lens gradually loses its ability to Cunn it itly to its bulbous shape which is Why most people eventually require rent Imp glasses or Contact lenses. But when the Lens loses its transparency As it does to varying degrees in half of people Over the age of 65, Light can n6 longer Peile Rale . Eventually All you May be Able to Eno is a murky or Cloudy image a co a i kin1-. Or i Calar acl can Only be Irmi Vibar  Contact lenses or. It that is not possible thick glasses. As cataracts become indic singly common if America s aging population and the Cost of i rating them soars.  . Stepping up efforts to Ido tily causes and define possible  . Americans spend about $3,5 billion a year to it Avo cataracts removed. Ii ways could be found to an average person to delay the need for surgery by 10 years the annual number of operations could Lecul in swill the National  health has estimated. Even a Hoigh most cataracts occur late in to preventing them is Likely to. Requite adopting protective habits decades before Hal probably Colatc fian Middle in fact at  in life can you if card a be complacent about cataracts by cause certain types can occur at any age As a up Sill of exposures various drugs arid other environmental factors that damage the Eye. Catalac scan occur Al birth because of a hereditary disorder or alter exposure 1o a noxious influence during fatal me. Before widespread use of rubella Vaccino. This viral infection during pregnancy was a frequent cause of cataracts in Newborn babies. The earlier in pregnancy that rubella occurs the More Likely Iho baby will to born Wilh an advanced Cataract. The infection can be prevented by immunizing aft Young children who Are the usual transmitters of the in Lection and by immunizing susceptible women when it is certain they Are not pregnant. Now the most common cause o cataracts in infants is a hereditary metabolic defect called galactose Mia in which a missing enzyme results in an inability to digest galactose a sugar found to milk. When  this or other sugars Rise m the blood abnormal amounts o sugar can enter the cells of the Lens causing Thorn to absorb water and swell to a Point where hey lose their transparency ii galactose Mia is selected very soon after birth and the child is placed on a galactose Iree die the cataracts and other problems can be avoided. Trauma to the Eye. Especially a wound that penetrates or perforated the eyeball can cause a  the mechanism behind his is poorly under blood Many such injuries occur unexpectedly. Bui doctors suggest such precautionary Steps As wearing Impact resistant Clear glasses in activities like Racquet sports. Some diseases can also result in cataracts. People Wilh diabetes for instance Era three to Lour times More Likely than other people to develop cataracts. Diabetes like Gastac Osemla can cause Wood sugar to increase o Eye damaging Levels. This can occur evenly Fly oven in a Cataract is a clouding of the Lens of the. Eye. Doctor theorize Ihal Corlan types of Light and radiation contribute by causing the tans protein to oxidize and a twice character. They have now Loi ind a Strong association Between sunlight s ultraviolet 8 radiation and cataracts of the cortex of the Lens but no association with cataracts o the nucleus. Front View of a not thu hrs cataracts a Range of causes older people Are not the Only ones who suffer Clouds a of the lenses in infants hereditary disorders and prenatal infections Are major factors. High blood sugar Levels can cause cataracts and some nutrients May prevent or promote them. Radiation especially sunlight can promote reactive fragments called it68 radicals hat cause oxidation and eventually clouding. Some medications react with Lens proteins to form Large mole Cules that can accumulate and make the Lens lose transparency. Eye injuries especially wounds that penetrate the eyeball can Lead to cataracts though the exact mechanism is not known. People whose i Abeles is Well controlled since Shoil of a pancreatic transplant there is no Way to prevent periodic rises m blood sugar to abnormal Levels. Certain drugs used to Treal other disorders Are also logic to the Lens. Corticosteroids. Like pred Isone. Widely used to treat disorders like severe allergies or a Larilis in which the immune system Over reacts can cause Cata Racla when taken Oil Lyon used topically in the Eye for prolonged periods. G. Edwin Bunce a biochemist at Virginia polytechnic Institute and Stalo University explained hat a reactive Par Otho proteins in the Lens can Combine Wilh a reactive part of the steroid to lorm very Largo molecules. When enough of these Aggregates lorm Ilia ions loses its transparency. Trie damage occurs Al the time of steroid treatment or soon after. Thus a pal enl treated with steroids years ago who did not develop cataracts need Riol worry Aboul the effect. In addition. Various kinds of radiation cause Cairn cts by causing the formation of highly reactive chemical fragments. Ire radicals in the eyes. The radiation can Range from a rays and microwaves to ultraviolet radiation irom sunlight and. Certain indoor lights. The Iroe radicals cause oxidation of structural proteins  and genetic material in the cells of the Lens although the cells can repair some damage excessive or prolonged exposure can overwhelm natural defences and Ulli Malelya Lead to clouded lenses. -. V -. Mccurn Ulaler of Idalio damage is believed to to one of the primary factors in causing cataracts in older people. While no one contends that cataracts in the elderly can always be prevented oxidative damage can in Large part be. Controlled primarily by the Usa of ultraviolet absorbing sunglasses and a brimmed Hal when Oul in the Sun Many modern sunglasses can Block 85 peace no of the Lens damaging ultraviolet b radiation. Wrap around glasses thai Are close filling give the Best Protection As for a rays and microwaves people who Are occupationally exposed to High Levels of such radiation Are the primary victims the Mac Lowava Scaler Irum Ordinary household and Ollice equipment is nol sul Lucient to damage the. Lens said or. Seymour Zigman a biochemist and professor of  Al the University of hoche6lei\sch6ol of Medicine but a said an increased risk of. Cataracts might occur among people who use special High intensity fluorescent or. Ultraviolet lights like currency and laundry Mark checkers blueprint copiers , some dental and orthopaedic personnel and laser operators Are also at risk he said. The to e hat nutrients play in causing or preventing cataracts is still scientifically Uncertain. Some findings suggest however that maintenance of a Normal body weight consumption of a balanced diet and possibly Vitamin e supplements Are useful in preventing cataracts. Page 16 the stars and stripes tuesday april 4,1969