A cataract is a clouding of the eye's lens. It makes it hard to see. They do not spread from one eye to the other, but many people get them in both eyes.
Normal Anatomy of the Eye |
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As a cataract grows and gets cloudier, it may become harder to read and do other tasks. Many people are not aware that their eyesight is blurry because cataracts develop slowly over time.
Cataract |
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The cause of this clouding is not known. Many things can lead to cataracts forming, such as:
- Aging
- Smoking
- Drinking too much alcohol
- Health problems, such as diabetes
- Some infections
- Eye disease, or injury or burns of the eye
- Exposure to radiation, toxins, or some medicines
- Taking steroid medicines for a long time
- Too much time spent in the sun
- Problems found at birth
References
Cataract. American Optometric Association website. Available at: https://www.aoa.org/healthy-eyes/eye-and-vision-conditions/cataract?sso=y. Accessed May 2, 2022.
Cataracts. National Eye Institute website. Available at: https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/cataracts. Accessed May 2, 2022.
Cataracts in adults. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/condition/cataracts-in-adults. Accessed May 2, 2022.
What are cataracts? American Academy of Ophthalmology website. Available at: https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/what-are-cataracts. Accessed May 2, 2022.
Revision Information
- Reviewer: EBSCO Medical Review Board James P. Cornell, MD
- Review Date: 11/2021
- Update Date: 05/02/2022