16 remedios caseros para las cataratas + tipos, causas y prevención

Según los Centros para el Control de Enfermedades, las cataratas son la principal causa de ceguera. Más de 20 millones de estadounidenses mayores de 40 años pueden tener cataratas en uno o ambos ojos (1).

La formación de un área turbia y densa en el cristalino del ojo se denomina médicamente catarata. Suele ser el resultado de la acumulación de proteínas en el ojo. Este agrupamiento evita que el cristalino envíe imágenes claras a la retina. Esto puede conducir a la formación de cataratas. Si no se trata, puede causar ceguera.

Por lo tanto, es importante tratar esta afección lo antes posible. Si bien las operaciones y cirugías oculares son los métodos convencionales para tratar las cataratas, también puede reducir el riesgo de esta afección con remedios caseros. En este artículo, hablaremos sobre algunos remedios caseros que pueden reducir el riesgo de cataratas. ¡Sigue leyendo!

Remedios caseros para reducir el riesgo de cataratas

1. Aceite de ricino

El aceite de ricino exhibe poderosas propiedades antioxidantes (2). Esto puede ayudar a reparar el daño oxidativo causado a los ojos.

Necesitará

1-2 gotas de aceite de ricino sin hexano

Lo que tienes que hacer

1. Vierta una gota de aceite de ricino en ambos ojos antes de dormir.
2. Deja el aceite durante la noche.

¿Con qué frecuencia debe hacer esto?

Haga esto una vez al día durante 1 a 6 meses.

2. Vitaminas

Los estudios preliminares muestran que las vitaminas C y D pueden ayudar a prevenir o ralentizar la progresión de las cataratas (3), (4). Por lo tanto, consuma alimentos ricos en estas vitaminas, como frutas cítricas, vegetales de hojas verdes, leche, queso, huevos, aguacates y almendras.

Nota: Consulte a un médico antes de tomar suplementos adicionales de estas vitaminas.

3. Vinagre de sidra de manzana

Los estudios en ratas muestran que el vinagre de sidra de manzana tiene propiedades antioxidantes (5). Por lo tanto, el consumo regular de vinagre de sidra de manzana puede ayudar a prevenir trastornos de la visión y daños en la retina.

Necesitará

• 1 cucharada de vinagre de manzana
• 1 vaso de agua tibia
• 1 cucharada de miel

Lo que tienes que hacer

1. Agregue una cucharada de miel y vinagre de sidra de manzana a un vaso de agua tibia.
2. Mezclar bien y consumir esta mezcla a diario.
3. También puede usar jugo de zanahoria en lugar de agua.

¿Con qué frecuencia debe hacer esto?

Haga esto una vez al día.

4. Aceites esenciales

Los aceites esenciales de incienso y lavanda exhiben un gran potencial antioxidante (6), (7). Por lo tanto, pueden ayudar a mejorar la visión al prevenir el daño oxidativo en el ojo.

Necesitará

1-2 gotas de incienso o aceite de lavanda

Lo que tienes que hacer

1. Frote una o dos gotas de incienso o aceite de lavanda entre sus palmas.
2. Aplicar sobre los ojos cerrados y dejar actuar unos minutos.
3. Enjuague con agua.

¿Con qué frecuencia debe hacer esto?

Haga esto 1-2 veces al día.

5. Aloe Vera

El aloe vera es un antiinflamatorio y un poderoso antioxidante (8). Puede proporcionar nutrición a los ojos y reducir o retrasar los signos de cataratas y otras anomalías oculares.

Necesitará

1 cucharada de gel de aloe vera

Lo que tienes que hacer

1. Extrae una cucharada de gel de aloe vera fresco.
2. Refrigere y aplíquelo sobre los ojos cerrados.
3. Déjelo actuar de 15 a 20 minutos y enjuague con agua.
4. You can also consume a cup of aloe vera juice daily.

How Often You Should Do This

Do this a few times daily.

6. Coconut Water

Coconut water is packed with electrolytes and has antioxidant potential (9). This may help in reducing oxidative damage caused to the eyes.

You Will Need

• A few drops of coconut water
• A clean washcloth

What You Have To Do

1. Pour a few drops of chilled coconut water into your eyes and close them.
2. Place a warm washcloth over your closed eyes.
3. Leave it on for 5 to 10 minutes.

How Often You Should Do This

Do this 2 times a day.

7. Flax seed Oil

Flax seed oil is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids (10). Omega-3 fatty acids exhibit antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities (11). This may help reduce the risk of eye disorders, like macular degeneration and cataracts.

You Will Need

½-1 tablespoon of cold-pressed flax seed oil

What You Have To Do

Add half to one tablespoon of flax seed oil to your favorite dish or smoothie.

How Often You Should Do This

Do this daily.

8. Garlic

Garlic contains allicin, which is a strong antioxidant (12). This may repair oxidative damage in the eyes.

You Will Need

Peeled garlic cloves

What You Have To Do

1. Chew on one or two garlic cloves daily.
2. You can also add garlic to your favorite dishes if the flavor is too strong for you.

How Often You Should Do This

Do this 1-2 times a day.

9. Ginger

Ginger exhibits anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects (13), (14). These properties may help reduce inflammation and repair oxidative damage to the eyes.

You Will Need

• ½ teaspoon of ginger juice
• ½ teaspoon of lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon of water
• Cotton pads

What You Have To Do

1. Mix half a teaspoon each of lemon juice and ginger juice.
2. Add a teaspoon of water to this mixture.
3. Soak two cotton pads in the mixture and place them over closed eyes.
4. Leave them on for 15 to 20 minutes and then take them off.

How Often You Should Do This

Do this 1-2 times a day.

10. Ginkgo Biloba

Gingko biloba has strong antioxidant properties (15). This may protect the lens from cataract formation.

You Will Need

40-120 mg of ginkgo biloba supplements

What You Have To Do

Take 40-120 mg of ginkgo biloba supplements after consulting your doctor.

How Often You Should Do This

Do this once a day.

11. Green Tea

Green tea is packed with polyphenols that are powerful antioxidants (16). These polyphenols may help protect the eye lens from further damage and reverse existing cataracts to a certain extent.

You Will Need

• 1 teaspoon of green tea
• 1 cup of water

What You Have To Do

1. Add a teaspoon of green tea to a cup of water and bring it to a boil.
2. Simmer and strain.
3. Allow the tea to cool a little before drinking it.

How Often You Should Do This

Drink this 2 times a day.

12. Honey

Honey is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound (17). It may help treat existing damage to the eye lens and may also prevent future issues.

You Will Need

• 1 teaspoon of honey
• 1-1 ½ teaspoons of water

What You Have To Do

1. Mix the honey with water.
2. Pour this solution into your eyes and blink away the excess water.
3. You can also consume a teaspoon of honey regularly.

How Often You Should Do This

Do this 1-2 times a day.

13. Lemon Juice

The citric acid present in lemon juice has antioxidant properties (18). Rat studies showed that it might help reduce the risk of cataracts (18).

You Will Need

• ½ teaspoon of lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon of water
• Cotton pads

What You Have To Do

1. Dilute half a teaspoon of lemon juice with a teaspoon of water.
2. Mix well and soak a cotton pad in it.
3. Place the cotton pads over closed eyelids and leave them on for about 20 minutes.
4. Remove the cotton pads and rinse your eyes with plain water.

How Often You Should Do This

Do this at least once a day.

14. Onion Juice

Onion is a rich source of flavonoids and was found to prevent cataract formation in rat studies (19).

You Will Need

• 1 teaspoon of fresh onion juice
• 2 teaspoons of water

What You Have To Do

1. Add two teaspoons of water to a teaspoon of fresh lemon extract.
2. Mix well and pour a drop of this solution into both the eyes.
3. Blink away the excess mixture.

How Often You Should Do This

Do this 1-2 times a day.

15. Wheatgrass Juice

Wheat grass is rich in beta-carotene and also exhibits antioxidant properties (20). This may make wheatgrass an excellent home remedy for reducing the risk of cataracts.

You Will Need

1-2 ounces of fresh wheatgrass juice

What You Have To Do

Consume 1 to 2 ounces of wheatgrass juice daily.

How Often You Should Do This

Do this for a few weeks.

16. Olive Oil

Olive oil is packed with antioxidants (21). This may help repair damaged lenses and keep the eyes nourished and moisturized (22).

You Will Need

Olive oil (as required)

What You Have To Do

1. Add olive oil to your favorite dishes and salads.
2. You can also pour a drop of olive oil into your eyes.

How Often You Should Do This

Do this on a regular basis.

Faster diagnosis of cataracts may assure faster treatment and can prevent further complications in the eyes.

Diagnosis

Doctors may run the following tests to look for a developing cataract:

• A comprehensive eye test that includes an eye chart test to check the distant vision and a tonometry test to measure your eye pressure.
• Testing the eye’s sensitivity to glare.
• Testing how you perceive colors.

In addition to the remedies, one must also eat right. Given below are some foods that may help delay the development of cataracts.

Best Foods For Cataracts

Since excess oxidative stress is believed to be one of the main causes of cataracts, foods rich in antioxidants may help. Consume foods like:

• Citrus fruits
• Green leafy vegetables
• Guavas
• Bell peppers
• Papaya
• Broccoli

Beta-carotene rich foods may also help delay or prevent cataract formation. A few of them include:

• Carrots
• Sweet potato
• Kale
• Spinach
• Turnip

You may also follow these prevention tips to prevent the formation of cataracts.

Prevention Tips

• Quit smoking.
• Wear shades while out in the sun.
• Limit your alcohol intake.
• Keep a check on the blood sugar levels.
• Get your eyes tested regularly.
• Do not strain your eyes for long periods.

Cataracts may be classified into different types based on their cause and where they develop.

Types Of Cataracts

The different types of cataracts include:

• Nuclear Cataracts: These are formed in the center of the lens and may cause the nucleus of the lens to turn brownish or yellowish.
• Cortical Cataracts: These are wedge-shaped and are formed around the nucleus (center) of the lens.
• Posterior Cataracts: These affect the back of the lens and are formed faster than the former types.
• Congenital Cataracts: These cataracts are present at birth or may surface during the child’s first year.
• Secondary Cataracts: Secondary cataracts are often a result of health conditions like diabetes and glaucoma or medications like steroids.
• Traumatic Cataracts: Cataracts that are a result of trauma to the eyes over the years are called traumatic cataracts.
• Radiation Cataracts: As the name suggests, this type of cataract occurs after an individual undergoes radiation for cancer.

Let’s look at the various causes of cataracts and risk factors of the condition.

Causes Of And Risk Factors For Cataracts

Cataracts may occur due to:

• Overproduced oxidants
• Trauma or injury
• Radiation
• Medications like steroids
• Smoking
• Exposure to ultraviolet radiation
• Medical issues like diabetes and glaucoma
• Smoking

Factors that may put a person at a higher risk of developing cataracts include:

• Advancing age
• Alcohol abuse
• Obesity
• High blood pressure
• Past injuries to your eye
• A history of cataracts in your family

The following are some of the most common signs that surface with the development of cataracts.

Signs And Symptoms Of Cataracts

• Blurry vision
• Reduced vision at night.
• Colors look faded.
• Your sensitivity to glare increases.
• Visibility of halos while looking directly at the light.
• Double vision
• The power of your prescription glasses keeps changing.

Cataracts may develop in anybody at any point in time. Hence, they need to be treated as early as possible to prevent them from progressing and worsening your eyesight. It is important to remember that the above list of home remedies may only help in delaying the risk of cataracts and not treat the condition. If you are looking for treatment options for cataracts, seek medical advice.

Expert’s Answers For Readers’ Questions

What is the average age for cataracts?

Individuals aged between 41-60 years and above are commonly affected by cataracts. This clearly shows that advancing age is one of the leading risk factors for this condition.

What will happen if a cataract is left untreated?

Cataracts may cause legal blindness if left untreated. When not treated for longer periods, they may cause total blindness.

Can you remove a cataract without surgery?

Currently, some eye drops are being tested for dissolving cataracts without the need for surgery. Also, the natural remedies mentioned above may help in reducing the risk of cataracts.

How long does it take to get a cataract removed?

Surgery for cataracts hardly takes 10 minutes. However, the blurriness after surgery may take anywhere between 24 hours to even two weeks (in rare cases) to clear.

22 sources

Stylecraze tiene pautas de abastecimiento estrictas y se basa en estudios revisados ​​por pares, instituciones de investigación académica y asociaciones médicas. Evitamos el uso de referencias terciarias. Puede obtener más información sobre cómo nos aseguramos de que nuestro contenido sea preciso y actualizado leyendo nuestra política editorial.

• Centros para el Control de Enfermedades "Trastornos oculares comunes"

  www.cdc.gov/visionhealth/basics/ced/index.html

• Patel, Vinay R. y col. “Aceite de ricino: propiedades, usos y optimización de los parámetros de procesamiento en la producción comercial”. Lipid insights 9 (2016): LPI-S40233.

  www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5015816/

• van der Pols, Jolieke C. "Un posible papel de la vitamina C en las cataratas relacionadas con la edad". Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 58.2 (1999): 295-301.

  pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10466170/

• Brown, Craig J., and Faical Akaichi. “Vitamin D deficiency and posterior subcapsular cataract.”Clinical ophthalmology (Auckland, NZ) 9 (2015): 1093.

  pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26124632/

• Halima, Ben Hmad, et al. “Antidiabetic and antioxidant effects of apple cider vinegar on normal and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.” International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research (2019).

  agrifoodscience.com/index.php/TURJAF/article/view/265https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31140380

• Al-Harrasi, Ahmed, et al. “Antiglycation and antioxidant activities and HPTLC analysis of Boswellia sacra Oleogum resin: the sacred frankincense.”Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research 12.4 (2013): 597-602.

  www.ajol.info/index.php/tjpr/article/view/93284

• Danh, Luu Thai, et al. “Comparison of chemical composition, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of lavender (Lavandula angustifolia L.) essential oils extracted by supercritical CO 2, hexane and hydrodistillation.”Food and bioprocess technology 6.12 (2013): 3481-3489.

  link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11947-012-1026-z

• Woźniak, Anna, and Roman Paduch. “Aloe vera extract activity on human corneal cells.”Pharmaceutical biology 50.2 (2012): 147-154.

  pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22338121/

• Prathapan, A., and T. Rajamohan. “Antioxidant and antithrombotic activity of tender coconut water in experimental myocardial infarction.”Journal of Food Biochemistry 35.5 (2011): 1501-1507.

  onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1745-4514.2010.00471.x

• Rodriguez-Leyva, Delfin, et al. “The cardiovascular effects of flaxseed and its omega-3 fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid.”Canadian Journal of Cardiology 26.9 (2010): 489-496.

  www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0828282X10704554

• Hobbs, Ronald P., and Paul S. Bernstein. “Nutrient supplementation for age-related macular degeneration, cataract, and dry eye.”Journal of ophthalmic & vision research 9.4 (2014): 487.

  www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4329711/

• Chung, Lip Yong. “The antioxidant properties of garlic compounds: allyl cysteine, alliin, allicin, and allyl disulfide.”Journal of medicinal food 9.2 (2006): 205-213.

  pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16822206/

• Grzanna, Reinhard, Lars Lindmark, and Carmelita G. Frondoza. “Ginger—an herbal medicinal product with broad anti-inflammatory actions.”Journal of medicinal food 8.2 (2005): 125-132.

  pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16117603/

• Masuda, Yuki, et al. “Antioxidant properties of gingerol related compounds from ginger.”Biofactors 21.1‐4 (2004): 293-296.

  pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15630214/

• Ertekin, Mustafa Vecdi, et al. “Effects of oral Ginkgo biloba supplementation on cataract formation and oxidative stress occurring in lenses of rats exposed to total cranium radiotherapy.”Japanese journal of ophthalmology 48.5 (2004): 499-502.

  pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15486777/

• Kumar, Vijay, et al. “Effect of Green Tea Polyphenol Epigallocatechin-3-gallate on the Aggregation of αA (66-80) Peptide, a Major Fragment of αA-crystallin Involved in Cataract Development.”Current eye research 42.10 (2017): 1368-1377.

  pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28628342/

• Golychev, V. N. “Use of honey in conservative treatment of senile cataracts.”Vestnik oftalmologii 106.6 (1990): 59-62.

  pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2075663/

• Nagai, Ryoji, et al. “Citric acid inhibits development of cataracts, proteinuria and ketosis in streptozotocin (type 1) diabetic rats.”Biochemical and biophysical research communications 393.1 (2010): 118-122.

  www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2917331/

• Javadzadeh, Alireza, et al. “Preventive effect of onion juice on selenite-induced experimental cataract.”Indian journal of ophthalmology 57.3 (2009): 185.

  www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2683439/

• Chauhan, M. “A pilot study on wheat grass juice for its phytochemical, nutritional and therapeutic potential on chronic diseases.” International journal of chemical studies 2.4 (2014): 27-34.

  acsess.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.2134/agronj1940.00021962003200040008xhttps://www.researchgate.net/publication/332810463_A_pilot_study_on_wheat_grass_juice_for_its_phytochemical_nutritional_and_therapeutic_potential_on_chronic_diseases

• Raederstorff, Daniel. “Antioxidant activity of olive polyphenols in humans: a review.”International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research 79.3 (2009): 152-165.

  pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20209466/

• Cougnard-Gregoire, Audrey, et al. “Olive oil consumption and age-related macular degeneration: the ALIENOR Study.”PloS one 11.7 (2016).

  www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4965131/