Have you noticed that some people’s eyes seem to shine when they talk? Well, there is a very rare disease that makes the eyes actually shine, but from the inside. Green, blue, golden, red flashes, as if someone had hung Christmas lights inside the iris. It is called Christmas tree cataract, and although the visual effect looks beautiful, what lies behind it is quite serious.
Eyes that shine
Cataracts cause the lens to become opaque and cloud the patient’s vision, but this variant makes small multicolored crystals visible inside the eye.
When the specialist shines a direct light during the examination, those reflections appear, like when your cat looks at your Christmas tree with excitement. It is something beautiful to see, but how healthy is it?
The people who have it feel absolutely nothing. They see well, it does not hurt, and it does not bother them.
The visit to the eye doctor
Many professionals say that the first time they encountered this “phenomenon” they doubted what it was and had to observe it several times, because it is not normal to see these crystalline structures inside a human eye. In addition, it is quite a rare phenomenon, which is why they are not very familiar with its diagnosis.
Why does this happen?
Because of biochemistry. Over time, a chemical imbalance occurs in the lens in which more calcium than normal accumulates, proteins begin to break down, and an excess of cystine (an amino acid) appears.
When too much cystine accumulates, it crystallizes, forms microscopic needles, and greatly multiplies light, breaking it into colors like a Christmas tree.
Is it a bad condition?
It is a condition that progresses very slowly (unlike, for example, common cataracts). It does not cause pain, does not reduce vision, and does not cause discomfort, which is why it can take years to detect.
But…
They are not dangerous by themselves, but they are associated with an important genetic disease, myotonic dystrophy type 1.
In many patients diagnosed with this disease, these cataracts appear very early, even before muscle symptoms appear.
An early marker
As always, it is worth remembering that not all people with this type of cataract will develop myotonic dystrophy (a type of muscular atrophy), but there does seem to be a relationship in some cases.
What is done when it is detected?
The main step after diagnosis is to continue with tests to determine whether the patient may or may not develop this type of muscular atrophy.
And vision?
Despite how striking this condition is, it usually does not significantly affect eyesight. Patients barely notice that they have it and can live normally for a long time.
Does it need surgery?
In most cases, no. Only if it evolves into a more opaque cataract or other eye diseases begin to appear. In general, it is treated and monitored with routine checkups.
The human body and its magic
The human body is pure chemistry, and that is why it continues to hold incredible secrets that we discover little by little. A simple change inside an eye and suddenly it begins to shine like Christmas itself in New York. Is that not magic? And it also helps detect possible diseases in time. Science and health always go hand in hand, sometimes even finding beautiful ways to make themselves visible.