Cataracts are a disease in which the eye’s clear lens becomes clouded, requiring surgical removal. Cataracts mainly affect people older than 60.
Just like tree sap you can't get off your car's windshield, a cataract is a milky-colored protein buildup on the lens of the eye. More than half of people will have cataracts by age 80. They can seriously affect vision, but, fortunately, surgery easily removes them in most cases.
Most people develop some degree of lens opacity by age 60. Cataracts occur in about half of all people ages 65 to 74 and in about 70% of those older. Despite surgical advances, the lack of access to health care in developing countries makes cataract the leading preventable cause of blindness in the world today.
Protecting your eyes from sunlight may slow the progression of cataracts. There are no medications, eyedrops, exercises or eyeglasses that will cause cataracts to disappear once they have formed. Surgery is the only way to remove a cataract.
Common symptoms of cataract include:
- A painless blurring of vision;
- Glare, or light sensitivity;
- Poor night vision;
- Double vision in one eye;
- Needing brighter light to read;
- Fading or yellowing of colors.
In cataract surgery, the cloudy lens is removed through a small surgical incision. In most cases, the focusing power of the natural lens is restored by replacing it with a permanent intraocular lens (IOL) implant.
Cataract surgery improves vision in most cases. Cataract surgery is usually done on an outpatient basis so you can go home the same day.
Cataracts are white, opaque blemishes on the normally transparent lens of the eye. They occur as a result of free-radical or oxidative damage to the protein structure of the lens, similar to the damage that occurs to the protein of egg whites when eggs are heated. Cataracts are the leading cause of impaired vision and blindness in the U.S.
Clouding or opacity in the crystalline lens of the eye occurs in a progressive manner, causing a gradual loss of vision.
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A cataract is essentially a cloudy layer that forms on the lens of the eye. Cataracts develop gradually over time, and they ultimately affect a person's ability to see. Eventually, people may need surgery to remove a cataract in order improve their vision.
Though cataracts don't really cause a total loss of vision, the clouding can worsen over time to the point of making you legally blind (you're legally blind if you can't read the top letter E on a vision chart from a distance of 20 feet).
Many things, including UV light, cigarette smoke, and extra glucose in diabetics (all factors that accelerate arterial aging, by the way), can increase the risk of cataracts. In addition to avoiding these risk factors, getting adequate vitamin C may be helpful in protecting against cataracts.
Cataract surgery can remove the cataract and implant a new lens in the eye.
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Important: This content reflects information from various individuals and organizations and may offer alternative or opposing points of view. It should not be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. As always, you should consult with your healthcare provider about your specific health needs.