{"id":584676,"date":"2023-09-07T13:53:03","date_gmt":"2023-09-07T19:53:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cerebrodigital.net\/?p=584676"},"modified":"2025-06-13T07:31:52","modified_gmt":"2025-06-13T13:31:52","slug":"star-shaped-cataracts-strange-pattern","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cerebrodigital.net\/en\/star-shaped-cataracts-strange-pattern\/","title":{"rendered":"Star\u2011shaped Cataracts: The Strange Pattern Triggered by a 14,000\u2011Volt Shock"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Electricity is extremely dangerous and our bodies react in different ways to major shocks. That was the case of an electrician who suffered a 14,000\u2011volt electric shock to his left shoulder, ending up with star-shaped cataracts in both eyes, according to medical reports published on January\u00a023 in the New England Journal of Medicine<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mysterious Star\u2011shaped Cataracts
<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Cataratas<\/a>
click to view uncensored.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A cataract is an opacity in the eye\u2019s lens<\/strong>, a structure that helps focus light. When the lens is clear, light passes through to the retina\u2014where the brain processes images<\/strong>. But when the lens becomes cloudy, vision becomes blurred.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cataracts typically result from aging, and are so common that over half of Americans develop them or undergo surgery <\/a>to correct them before age 80.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 42-year-old male patient underwent cataract extraction surgery four months after the electric shock. He also received an intraocular lens implant <\/a>to refocus light. His vision improved slightly, but he remained legally blind, able to count only fingers with his left eye. Full vision recovery is unlikely due to damage to the retina and optic nerve<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Caused This Strange Pattern?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Cataratas<\/a>
click to view uncensored.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Optometrist Dr. Justin Rapp<\/a>, based in New York and not involved in the patient\u2019s care, told CBS News<\/a><\/em> that the electric current may have altered the chemical balance in the patient\u2019s blood, reducing blood flow<\/strong> to the optic nerves and parts of the retina\u2014evidenced by the cloudy white structures seen in photos around the lower half of the lens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This chemical imbalance may also have affected the fluid surrounding the lens, contributing to the star-shaped opacity. Cataracts forming snowflake or star-like<\/strong> patterns have been known before, but \u201cnever like this,\u201d Rapp said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cThis is a surprisingly \u2018perfect\u2019 example of a star\u2011shaped cataract,\u201d he stated. \u201cThe fact that it surrounds the entire 360\u2011degree outer edge of the lens is definitely remarkable.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s curious that a potentially fatal electric shock resulted in such a unique pattern in his eyes. Despite surgery, the star\u2011shaped cataracts became iconic.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reference:<\/p>\n\n\n\n