A cataract is an opacity that develops in the crystalline lens of the eye or in its envelope. Early on in the development of age-related cataract the power of the crystalline lens may be increased, causing near-sightedness (myopia), and the gradual yellowing and opacification of the lens may reduce the perception of blue colours. Protein arranges itself to allow light rays to pass through and to focus the rays onto the retina. Other symptoms include faded colors, poor night vision, difficulty in reading, problem with bright light etc. Clouded vision can make it more difficult to read, drive a car especially at night or see the expression on a friend's face. In fact, they are the leading cause of visual loss among adults 55 and older. Eye injuries, certain medications, and diseases such as diabetes and alcoholism have also been known to cause cataracts.

In the early stages, stronger lighting and eyeglasses can help you deal with the vision problems. But at some point, if impaired vision jeopardizes your normal lifestyle, you might need surgery. Fortunately, cataract removal is one of the safest, most effective and most common surgical procedures.

Causes of Cataract

Most people develop some lens clouding after age 60 years. About 50% of Americans aged 65-74 years have cataracts, as do about 70% of those 75 years or older. Most people develop the problem in both eyes, although clouding in one eye may be worse than in the other eye. Many people do not know they have cataracts. Congenital cataracts can also be caused by infections affecting the mother during pregnancy, such as rubella. They are also associated with metabolic disorders such as galactosemia. Risk factors include inherited metabolic diseases, a family history of cataracts, and maternal viral infection during pregnancy.

Symptoms of Cataract

# Cloudy, fuzzy, foggy, or filmy vision
# Loss of color intensity
# Frequent changes in eyeglass prescription
# The glare from bright lights causes vision problems at night, especially while driving
# Sensitivity to glare from lamps or the sun

Treatment of Cataract

For an early cataract, vision may improve by using different eyeglasses, magnifying lenses, or stronger lighting. If these measures don't help, surgery is the only effective treatment. This treatment involves removing the cloudy lens and replacing it with a substitute lens.

Cataract surgery is very successful in restoring vision. In fact, it is the most frequently performed surgery in the United States, with over 1.5 million cataract surgeries done each year. Nine out of 10 people who have cataract surgery regain very good vision, somewhere between 20/20 and 20/40.

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Prevention

Although cataracts have no scientifically proven prevention, it is sometimes said that wearing ultraviolet-protecting sunglasses may slow the development of cataracts. Regular intake of antioxidants (such as vitamin C and E) is theoretically helpful, but this has not been proven.