Cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye that can impair vision. More than half of the people age 65 and older have cataracts in their eyes.
What Causes Cataracts?
The eye acts much like a camera. Light rays enter through the front of the eye. They pass through the cornea, the pupil, and the transparent fluid in the front of the eye — onto the lens. The lens then bends light rays to focus objects onto the retina in the back of the eye. From there, the retina, the optic nerve, and the brain take the images and form vision. Cataracts occur when there is a buildup and change in the protein in the lens that makes it cloudy. This keeps light from passing through the lens causing some loss of vision. The lens is supposed to be clear to have good vision. No one knows what causes the buildup of protein. The cataract is a lens that has become clouded.
What Are The Symptoms Of Cataracts?
Cataracts often form slowly and cause few symptoms. When symptoms are present, they can include:
1. Vision that is cloudy, blurry, foggy, or filmy
2. Rapid advance of nearsightedness
3. Changes in the way you see color, especially yellow
4. Problems driving at night due to oncoming headlights
5. Problems with glare
6. Double vision
7. Rapid temporary improvement in close-up vision